Say you love him
by dreamofstarysky
Summary: AU Shikamaru has been having weird dreams for years. As the years went by, he began to grow accustomed to them and no longer dwelled on their meaning. That was until M. Temari and company move into town.
1. Launch

Say You Love Him

I think I was eighteen. No, I was seventeen. Probably eighteen-no, I'm positive I had been seventeen years of age at the time.

Seventeen, what a vulgar age. While the scars were minimal, the aching, though infrequent, stunted my morals. I did have some code I followed by, but it was structured for deviancy. Let me go on and say, I wasn't a good person. Yet, I wasn't a poor one either. In retrospect, I suppose I could've gone either way.

My morale was high for a teenager. However, that didn't make up for what I lacked.

I never cared about anyone. Not my dad. Not my mom. Not my bros. I didn't even show concern over the mouse living under my bed.

If I did, I couldn't admit it, not even to myself.

In my mind, the "fleshies" were bothersome. To the me stuck far in the past, there wasn't much to live for aside from "honor" and "home". For some reason the words, "There is no place like home", captivated me and I found myself running toward the streets.

Was I foolish? Probably so, but to this day, I don't regret it. Even as I sit awake at night trying to evade my nightmares, I cannot say the things I had done were a tragedy.

I wore my city's colors, escaping from all that held me, and eventually loving that place.

For many years, I believed I was my city's protector. My white dress and fair locks were symbols of my guardianship. A fan too was my somewhat unspoken eligibility as I ran around like some super hero.

For many years, I ran into the streets with my hands on a switchblade and that small fan in my pocket, my symbol, my one purpose.

Nevertheless, I cared not for the residents. Even as a distinctive red hue came from me, as the pipes (oh, the pipes) beat down on me not once were they acknowledged.

This feeling of emptiness, this void I carried with me, came way before my younger brother decided to make a suicide pact and smashed my face into the sand. I didn't even flinch when I saw my other brother become so eerie he consistently tore limbs from my dolls.

I never loved anyone, not even once; my one feeling of love was the one for the concrete and the warm sand, not the soon to be rotting fleshies. A square inch of sand was worth more than one human being.

Was I completely apathetic? I don't know.

All I am sure of is that when the one thing I loved was taken from me, I went berserk. I cannot explain the adrenaline pumping through me as I attempted to run away. Generically and unoriginally men in black suits surrounded me making it impossible to escape. I was bound and gagged, but the thing that smothered my senses the most was the motive behind the bombardment.

My father had ordered my brothers and I to be sent outside of the city.

No questions asked. No goodbyes. All we had were three hours to pack. Saying that I was enraged was an understatement. After all, my home was where there were swarming flies and hot concrete, not some freshly rained on grass or where the sun was mild. Where I was from the sun came up brightly to keep us strong. It took out our shadows and brought out our deepest secrets making us face things head on.

All those sweet memories flowed through my mind as I sat there watching the sunrise. It looked rather sheepish coming up over the horizon, but once it came up, it vigorously lighted the way. The foliage was a spring green. Flowers and all kinds of greenery littered every path. The scene looked like it was ripped straight out of a magazine for nature junkies. I betted they had jungle fever every day.

Kankuro whistled. Feeling edgy, I turned to bark at him.

Inadvertently I caught glimpse of the pale….um, cheeks.

"Why doesn't she have any clothes on?" I asked as we drove out of eavesdrop.

The driver snickered.

My imagination ran away with me. Was it my hostility that led to such vivid visions or the anxiety of not sleeping for seventeen hours?

I kept thinking that my father, trash as we were to him, threw us into the slums. Perhaps it was the hot tea I poured on his lap once or the fact that I was the cause for roughly a third of the medical fees.

Father, in additional to being a beyond help workaholic, was incredibly frugal. I had been certain he held a grudge. If so, the gods would not be able to help me.

I tensed and observed the petty land more. Everything about Konoha was _colorful_ and that made me sick. I literally wanted to retch all over the car rug. Crammed in the smallest car ever, I hadn't the stomach to bear the effects. "Fools," I hissed aloud.

Blouses above their navel, shorts above their knees-what were they going to do when the dust storms hit?

I remember the awful sense of foreboding when I deduced there to be no such storms.

The house, I had been informed, was uphill situated conveniently within walking distance of many mediocre shops. No lush or grandeur.

Perfectly misled, I practically had a seizure when I saw our new home.

I, who was born with absence of rainbow and sprinkles, had a heart tremor.

Grabbing the hood up the car, I knelt down. How could I sleep in such a place, I pondered.

"Temari, go already," Kankuro growled, "I want to get out too!"

I obliged and I felt something chill my whole body.

My youngest brother, Gaara, got out and went straight back inside.

Our father's secretary, chauffer, and minder, "What's her face", nearly killed me when she told us that she was going to be living with us as well.

Apparently Gaara felt the same way, "Megumi."

Mentally I crossed the name off my potential name list. I knew it wasn't the right name because of how the corner of her mouth twitched.

It wasn't a pleasant twitching either.

"Yes, Gaara," she asked as she gathered her things from the trunk.

Gaara was an emotionally crippled voluntary mute with an ego the size of Jupiter. If he couldn't get what he wanted when he said one word, he would just stop talking altogether.

She looked as red a beet and her face was swollen in anger. "Be that way then!"

I laughed.

When all I wanted to do was crawl in a ball, I laughed.

She would have rather had scorpions in our company than us.

There wasn't much of a difference though.

No venom spat our way could sully us, Gaara especially. For Gaara, in the eyes of many (including me), was a poison. Adding poison to a poison only makes the solution more deadly.

In retrospect, I should have paid more attention to our dysfunctional family.

Scars would have been less prevalent that way.

I hoisted my bags from the trunk. Damning them all, I waited by the entrance.

When I got to my room, I was delighted at how small it was. I had a mattress on the floor, above that were shelves, all pink and engraved with lullabies, stuff that our first and possibly favorite nanny would sing to us. All of which were tokens of my deceased mother. It seemed _dad _decided to do me some sort of a favor.

Too bad, I never cherished a line of that crap. To the left was another shelf and then a desk with a laptop on it; it too was pink.

My floorboards were naked; I'd usually have an ashy colored carpet or something it felt like it was thrown together with little thought. It wouldn't surprise me if that were true.

When I opened my closet I got a whole new wardrobe, I wasn't able to pack any clothes with me. I spilled my bag's contents on the bed.

There were blades, sharp and shiny. Most of them were bent. I shouldn't have ever allowed Gaara to use them.

I looked at the bracelets. All of them were decorated. They either had moons painted on them or stars. There were also few hair ties and of course, my fan.

Tears ran down my face.

That was the first time I felt heartbreak.

That was the first time I ever agreed with those lovesick puppy schoolmates or low budget soaps.

My tear pool just bust.

I kept thinking: What was I going to do now? How was I going to go on?

My heart throbbed and it throbbed even more as the striking colors of Konoha came to mind. My heart had always been rubber, numb to shock, maybe even a bit flexible. Yet, it never pulsed. I never gathered the nerve to feel its beat in my hand.

I buried myself in the mattress and I gave this horrible, repulsive screech.

I traced my scars. There were only two on my otherwise flawless skin, one was still tender but it gave me comfort.

I knew there was nothing more than my love for my city, I would not get over it, I would fight; I would win and I would get back home.

What I didn't know was that Sabaku Temari died yesterday.

**Notes: **

I know Sabaku isn't the family name and that's it a title.

There will be POV switching throughout the story; it's relevant.

Shikamaru will be present, but not until chapter 3. Temari's character just seemed better for the exposition.

More descriptions and tags will be added in Chapter 1.


	2. Chapter 1: Family meeting

Note: This chapter has been revised and is revised according to a composite outline. Originally there were three, so I took it upon myself to mesh them all together.

This is the result.

As promised,

Genre(s): Supernatural, Mystery, Crime, Drama, and Romance

Pairings(s): Shikatema/ ShikamaruxTemari

_**Chapter 1**_

_A Family Meeting_

I felt pitiful.

At seventeen (possibly) I couldn't have been more pathetic if I tried.

My throat was sore. Black stained the sleeves of my peach blouse; my makeup ran. How could I be so discomposed? It was as if I were a child again, shallow yet so sentimental. It was ridiculous.

In mere hours, I had been stripped of my power and reduced to some plain-Jane in the middle of an enchanted forest.

I had been provided with a new home.

Nothing can make me thankful for it, even what I know now.

Almond porch; white exterior, tan interior, and the broad windows gave me the feeling of emptiness. Happen, I forget the dull color and focus to the garden; the lush and flowery garden would mislead me and anyone else.

The brown porch, designed by the best of Konoha architects, would make any simpleton believe that a happy and loving family lived there.

That was what we were going for at the time.

By "we", I mean the collective of puppets boarding their cubbyholes.

Our father, the head of the most flourishing business in Suna, made this house of trickery. This house was made to show off to Konoha.

Maybe we weren't puppets, but dolls.

Sheepishly, I recall, I moved to the closet. I remember feeling faint.

Father had hired the best to arrange our wardrobes, putting in the 'best' teen styles just to shove it in the face of his allies. All of it just to remind them, "this is why you need me."

I rested on my naked floorboards and stared at the ceiling.

There was the sound of a couple of bottles crashing, the TV was on a high downstairs was on high, but somehow I managed to fall asleep right there in the middle of the floor.

0

0

"Get up sunshine," the woman chirped.

The one thing I knew that couldn't be changed no matter how much dad wanted to show off was the stale beer, beer that came from only two people's lips, one being Kankuro and the other father's secretary.

Underneath all that blush and eyeliner was a hardcore drinker.

Every morning, she'd beauty up. By nightfall, she'd be a mess. If she wasn't drinking, she was smoking; if she was not smoking, she was drinking. Every blue moon, she might actually do a little bit of work.

I knew my old babysitter hadn't changed her ways in the slightest.

I looked up to see her staring at me. Her eyes were closed. She was trying her absolute best to hide her rancor. At that moment, I wished my father had sent Baki; He had more candor than she did in her whole body. I never knew just how right I was about that until it was far too late.

Sitting up, I pushed out all the contempt from my body and projected it on my face.

She didn't flinch.

Instead that woman gave me another bold smile.

I hated her.

Still do; my logic just changed course.

She sang and knocked on every door, the bathroom, the closet, everywhere-all except Gaara's, she mustn't have gotten as drunk last night as I thought because she maintained her common sense.

"Breakfast is ready, Breakfast is ready!"

I groaned.

Breakfast, like all family gatherings, was a disaster.

Somebody takes too much maple syrup and all hell would break loose.

I went downstairs as I sat at the comfortable table for four. Each spot had simple meals. Gaara had a western breakfast with eggs and toast, the secretary had a muffin with coffee, and Kankuro had cereal.

But was there anything for Temari?

"What're you lookin' at," Kankuro asked.

I couldn't take his tone, so I responded with enough bite to scare a teething crocodile, "your ass. Where's my breakfast?"

"Why don't go you scrape it out of the toilet bowl?" He stuffed his face happily.

Glaring at him, I opened up the refrigerator.

Nothing.

"Were you experimenting with your cauldron again?"

Nobody in that room could cook. I lived off of preheated meals for most of my life. My favorite household appliance was the microwave.

I think it's Gaara's too; it could blow things up.

For Kankuro, it was the dishwasher. As a kid he'd stick all things in there.

Kankuro'd say he was trying to help by putting my clothes in there, but I'm sure deep down he's slightly twisted (not counting the whole Barbie thing).

"Well, this is their second meal," she said, "and you are awfully slow lately."

"That doesn't really answer my question," I replied snappishly. I stood and kicked the chair.

It landed right on Kankuro's foot. "You bitch!"

"While you three were sleeping I drove up to the store to get some food. The lines were super long so I just got what I could and left."

In other words, "I'm a lazy good for nothing."

She hadn't even planned for dinner.

Although, knowing her, it was customary to assume that she'd be passed out on the couch by then.

"He sure knows how to pick them," I grumbled, "I'll go."

"What?" The woman blinked. Her expression was disbelieving. She looked me up and down for the first time since we reunited. Baki 101: Judge books by their cover before purchasing.

If she thought that was surprising, she was in for a lot of surprises. I smirked a little. "Make a list."

"It's going to be a lot," the woman warned, "I need-"

"I am only getting stuff like milk, juice, and a few preheated things. I'm not carrying all that crap."

She twitched.

Her nails tapped steadily against the wood. I could tell her hands were itching to go across my face. I wasn't really into disrespecting my elders, but in her case, I'd make many exceptions.

I was going to show them all that while I live in a dollhouse, I wasn't a doll.

I was determined for it to never be like last time.

"Temari could you-"

"Hell no." I slammed the front door and sped walk as to not hear that simpleton's question. Kankuro was hoodlum that broke all the rules. He hadn't respected anyone, not even I who risked most of my childhood protecting him.

Bitter was an understatement.

The words I last spoke, prior to that morning, were a decade dead and I wasn't about to revive them.

Not for him, not for anyone.

While in the car, I noticed a number of small corner stores down the street. It was a long road. With my sandals, it took my a half hour to get there. I regretted not checking the terrain; my feet were killing me.

When I arrived, I noticed a small group of teenage males huddled together smoking. At first I ignored it. Every area has it "bad seeds". It wasn't until I looked up that I became a bit anxious. They were right next to the store I needed to be in.

Playing it cool, I went in and I thought I heard a whistle, but I concluded it was just the wind. Despite the dismissal I had began studying their movements.

They were shaking their heads, while looking back inside. They looked dead at me.

As a kid I was always targeted by thugs for ransom or just because I looked at them the wrong way.

But in Konoha I wasn't a self-righteous and spoiled rich girl.

As the cashier rang up everything I could still feel their eyes on me.

I didn't have my fan, so I doubted I had the spirit to fight. I figured that if I were lucky I could do a few moves and run toward the hill road.

Lazily I went out the door. The guys were standing there, smug, their eyes gleaming in what seemed like satisfaction. Their odor was almost homely. I could feel their body heat as they approached me; my hand went toward my pocket with zilch inside.

One guy, pint-sized with a goatee and sunglasses, circled me. "You sure _are_ fine."

"More like a smokin' tamale!"

Years later I would learn that they were trying to "pick me up" as it were.

To put it more my style, they were more willing to pull the slits of my skirt than make one on my throat.

Of course I had seen those type of things before, in Suna, but their ways were alien to me. Really, I wouldn't have been surprised if forest creatures started to sing along the roadways.

I walked away for I didn't possess fortitude or any of those gutsy words. I refused to fight when I possessed a bit of a handicap, physical or psychological. Sheepishly, I put a silver wrapper in my pocket.

"Wanna go 'head with us an do some Karaoke?"

His friends snickered. Was he attempting some sort of pun?

Mouth stitched shut, I shook my head mechanically.

They might have smelled homely, but I recognized a rather universal sign of danger.

"Then how about we go see a movie?" A tall, bushy, male asked.

They all stepped closer.

I preformed the same motion, shaking my head side to side, obviously saying 'no'. My 'back off' aura was increasing. Guys that asked too many questions really pissed me off.

"What about heading to my place?"

A rugged palm landed on my shoulder.

"Get off," I hissed, literally shrugging him off.

He wasn't offended at all and kept prying, slowly activating the gears of my archaic, transmissible clock. As the clock preformed a 360, so did I.

I chuckled aloud, my mouth was sore; I had been gnawing at my lips out of habit.

Partially, another part of me just wanted to scare them off.

"Listen," I said angrily, "I don't want to do this in front of a store…"

My throat was dry and I gave a sore sort of morbid chuckle. I chuckled lowly, my hand running down the denim of my skirt.

I flashed them the silver wrapper, "But I don't like flies," I could feel the iron dripping from my lips.

If I were Kankuro I would've really had a blade with me.

Needless to say, they backed off.

_"Subtle as a rhino…she might be scarier than my mom."_

I twisted around, but found nothing out of the ordinary.

000

When I got back home, I saw Kankuro on the front lawn swinging a wooden bat. The kid had always had dreams of sliding home.

He was a real baseball fanatic; he loved everything to do with the sport. I guess Konoha with its fields was a great way to accomplish his goal.

What a loser; it was barely two days and he was falling into their trap, my thoughts churned sardonically.

"Welcome back," Kankuro said as he continued to swing.

"Yeah I'm back," I said putting the bags on the porch, "You should do something about that tacky form."

"You should do something about that tacky sentence," He replied crisply.

His legs were shaking.

"I don't think baseball requires a vibrator," I remarked.

"S-Shut up," Kankuro ordered. His legs were bucking and he was falling backward every now and again.

I doubted he'd ever be able to play, that kid, after what happened last time he tried….

"Why don't you pack up for today," I asked.

"I was going to anyway, we're having a family meeting," Kankuro informed me. To say I was shocked would be a total lie. It was only a matter of time before that fickle woman spat out everything she knew.

"So we're being a family now," I asked quirking my eyebrow, "You guys make some weird decisions without me."

"You know what I mean," the boy snapped as he swung the house door open. "Really you're just a ball of sunshine this morning, aren't you?"

It turned out I didn't even have to go to the store. The house gave an overwhelming smell of mint and leaves. Parsley was on some plates. I sighed, that woman just couldn't have a normal dinner like any other family.

We had meals that some would drool over or be fascinated by. That woman spent money like she drank and smoked. The day when she quits her habit is the day that all this luxury goes away.

"She ordered," Kankuro explained as he pounced in his chair. "It's kinda fancy for brunch, isn't it?"

"I was only gone for a little over an hour and you guys are eating again," I mocked, "You're going to mud pudding before long."

"You sound more like an old lady everyday!"

In the end, the family meeting became more of a business one.

She sat down and came straight out and told what was expected of us.

"Your father has given heavy instruction of what must happen," said the woman, "First off no fights-we can't tolerate bruising or otherwise, if you got something keep it under your shirt."

We were silent.

"Second, no talking about your parents…or your uncle," the woman stuttered.

I saw Gaara flinch in the corner of my eye.

That was definitely a big no-no.

"Those two things go for school and outside of school," she said.

Her eyes narrowed toward me, but I didn't care.

"For school don't get caught smoking or doing anything illegal."

"Again something we don't know."

What she said next made my head spin.

Yet, somehow I knew it was coming.

I just knew…

"Steal and rip off anything you can."

….

"Care to clarify?"

**A/N:**

Just wanted to beg for reviews. Feedback is much appreciated.


	3. Chapter 2: The deal

_**Chapter 2**_

"If you apply plans B, C, and D, I strongly believe that this enterprise will be successful."

Kankuro looked as if she were speaking another language. The information just wasn't processing. But, gods help me, I already knew. Call it intuition but really it was just a cheap imitation of past events. Recycled crap.

Father was a believer in the old ways. Keep something as long as it was useful. If it is useful, use it to the last ounce of usefulness. He treated his children the same way. It was common. The country had a long history and one of the popular trends was manipulating children and turning them into warriors. While most tried to chuck out that tradition, the older families still kept that mentality.

Though I don't recall us having much record of our lineage, sometimes traditions just work out that way. It was like the whole face makeup thing. We don't know were it originated it just popped out of nowhere.

This conversation was pretty random too. She didn't even ease her way into it, the woman just blurted it all out. Gaara remained emotionless and kept eating his dinner while Kankuro was gapping like a fish.

"He never told you, huh?"

"Perceptive, much?" I mocked.

Being the big cheese he was, he would never taint himself to be in our company. I might sound bitter, but I wasn't. It was just a fact. The last time I saw him he practically said as much. That dictator had always been secretive. The only thing the three of us knew for certain was that he spawned us. If he hadn't, he wouldn't even bother looking our way.

The woman sighed and began rummaging through her papers.

I could tell by the chicken scratch hand writing that dad wrote them. Even the best decipherer couldn't be able to read that, but yet that woman did.

I remembered that woman from my childhood as my nanny, when I was ten it didn't even strike me as odd when she was suddenly upgraded. Those eyes that had carried bags, similar to Gaara's, had been brought back behind glasses and that mouth, which reeked like beer, when it opened in the office all eyes were on her, for she had persuasion power.

And those hands that had a lot of mass and so much force were folded with manicured nails.

We hadn't seen that woman in our house for about seven years now.

Isn't ironic how she sold herself again just to play babysitter?

They were waiting for an answer, but I already knew. That's the trouble with being the eldest.

"We've received word that the partners in our circle in this location have been planning to terminate all transactions."

"What the heck does that mean?" Kankuro groaned.

I never really understood all the business lingo much and neither did that woman in front of me. She must've sweet talked her way in. With what I did know from prior experience, I deduced that it wasn't a good thing. Not at all.

Unlike some people (like these moochers in Konoha), my father built his company from the ground up. At first, it was just a simple computer company. Then he became fixated on other areas such as entertainment. Pretty much he was power hungry. I remember at the age of seven that my father had crushed an impressive number of his competitors. He did a many things that weren't legal. Heck, they weren't even moral.

If one's company brings in a big chunk of the economy, they can buy their way into the country's council. That was what my father did. For five years, that man was on top of the world. Yet, when my father invested in some new product he dug his own grave. There was an overproduction of the product along with thousands of customer complaints. He was broke.

They were by no means puny, but he invested billions on that enterprise. They were in debt to the maximum for about two years, two years of hell, and then finally a Konoha corp. stepped in, the biggest one in their whole city.

Dad had talked to someone he knew there and they paid off their debt in condition that his company came along for ride in every venture. That business made the top ten in the country and was booming and because of that dad gained a lot of supporters and made better investments since then.

He lost his place in the council however and remained sour because of that. In my mind, it was his ambition, his loss. Sadly, it didn't work like that in his mind.

Ever since I could remember, my brothers and I worked as dogs(another word for information gatherers in Suna). We would sneak into meetings, bug offices, and pick locks.

So, yeah we were mini-spies.

So, why Konoha? Why not Konoha?

If he, um, his company wasn't under Konoha's wing he'd loose his support. He wouldn't necessarily fail because, well, our family didn't produce idiots, but being known really made my dad all happy like a school girl.

My eyes went wide at the thought. "You want us to spy _there_?_"_

"Spy where?" Kankuro asked. "Wait we're spying?"

I ignored him.

"You want us to blackmail them," I finally asked through the heavy silence.

The woman nodded.

"Let me guess that cooperation happened to give funding for the school we're going to," I said dully, "And you're hoping there might be some trash floating around in their halls or any way to them for that matter."

"Oh, darling, there is a way," the woman claimed.

I had the strangest feeling I misread all the signals. For some reason, I felt a chill prickle up my spine.

"I guess I'll have to brief you all on your new mission," She said. I flinched.

"You're kidding."

"She's not," I informed Kankuro snappishly.

"You three are going to Konohagakure's best public High School. There you will get close just enough to their main authority."

"But not too close," I added.

"Yes, there are a lot of secrets in that school. Not many foreigners get to go there unless their parents have been directly involved with the maker's (Konoha Corp.) affairs they cannot be admitted into the school."

Since our father is technically still in cahoots with Konoha Corp, they cannot deny us admission without having their plans revealed. Brilliant, excluding a major flaw.

"You didn't even enroll us before we moved."

She looked surprise. So it was true.

"Also, it's a school. The company might've made it but I doubt they really care too deeply about it."

That smile on her face returned. Well, that's one way to make me feel like an idiot.

"There is always a trace."

"What makes you think we'll be able to find it?"

Setting her pencil down, her eyes bore into me. I felt like a mouse about to ready to be eaten by a snake. Just two hours ago, I felt like a hawk ready to devour one.

"You three don't really have much of a choice."

Everything clicked within that sentence. We were his pawns all over again.

Being stubborn, I refused to show I acknowledged it.

"Don't we? You of all people should know that we cannot be easily manipulated. The company must really be losing its 'friends' if you need to rely on rebels to do your dirty work."

There was a pregnant pause. It was almost as if she didn't expect me to say that.

But then again it had been years since the last time.

The older you are the more bitter you are. My selfishness skyrocketed, and my crudeness leveled to that of a rattlesnake,

Memories, that's all they were. This time would never be like last time. I clung onto that.

"The company is made out of low-life good for nothings. They are impulsive and they lack foresight."

"They've managed to strive this long. It doesn't look like their reign is going to end anytime soon." Kankuro said.

"They are nearly as showy as you three. We have records of what you've done and who you've done it with for the last four years. Don't underestimate us. If I say there is something to find, there is."

"If I say jump you jump", is what she was trying to say. All that was needed was to tie a noose around our necks.

"What do I get?" I asked.

"You get to home." She didn't miss a beat.

If I hadn't left my cell in Suna, I would've called up everyone on my contact list and say, "I'll be home next week."

I don't know about my siblings' opinions, but that was all it took to hook me.

That night, I found out that woman's name was Maya.

0

0

Hot concrete, how I longed for it. Now I missed the hot pavement scrapping across my knees. To anyone else I might sound like a masochist, but if they knew me they'd I am a sadist.

That dusty air, heat piercing through the ice machines, would bask my skin. Pop a bottle of sunny D and just let it overcome you. That's what I loved about it. The nights were cold. They allowed one to just cool off. They weren't ideal for skinny dipping, but still pleasurable.

Even down to earth types have their quixotic side.

That's why I let myself be molded into their hands…

It has been about a week since I arrived in Konoha.

When I wasn't helping Maya fill in contact sheets or going over boring rules, I was in my room thinking about my new image.

For missions like this it's safe to create a whole new look or personality, just in case you bump into somebody you know. I fiddled over around with some of my records while I found out they were being transferred to Konoha, I knew I couldn't get rid of that specific document (I wouldn't be able to attend school without it), so I just adjusted things to my liking.

I took out a lot of my achievements-things that they could trace basically and made myself the typical Suna citizen. I also fiddled with my brothers' so that we all had the same connection-Maya was our _mother. _

Maya worked for my dad, they weren't married, and by saying Maya was our mother that meant that man wasn't our father. Maya took out forging and rearranging the birth certificate.

Playing house was how Maya referred to it when I told her of my plans. She wouldn't back down.

I looked at what I referred as my disguise kit.

Makeup, hair ties, nail polish, and some glasses I got from Maya, I contemplated the perfect disguise.

Making a practically new identity was hard.

You have to put all your surroundings into consideration.

I looked at the glasses. Glasses often outlined intelligence, very poor eye sight, or arrogance. Glasses were a bad idea.

Who's to say I won't mess up sooner or later I might make a mistake and give off the fact I indeed have 20-20 vision. There were a lot of others things that could happen, like for the fact I can't pull off the shy girl act for a long period of time.

Acting happy wasn't good for my mental health.

Tired of staring at the laid out things on my bed, I went over to my wardrobe and smiled as a bunch of ideas hit me at once.

Just as I was about to pull out some clothes, I heard a knock at my door.

"Maya for the last time-"

I opened it and it was Kankuro.

He was shirtless and his hands were in his pockets, his make up was off. With that off he gave a solemn expression.

"Why'd you take it off," I asked putting my hand on my hip, "You look like crap."

"Can you help me?" He asked. "I feel horrible."

"No." I replied curtly. "I don't know where your ugly mug's been."

I could barely stand to look at it so I didn't. I bit my bottom lip trying to control my anger, it was soon dripping of tang taste but that didn't faze Kankuro. I licked the blood from my lips. My psycho act wouldn't work.

"Put it back on." It didn't just sound like an order, it was.

"She said-"

"I don't give a crap what she said. If you want to wear it, wear it."

There were hundreds that loved body art. Some were based on tradition others deviancy. I understood why Maya didn't want him to wear it. Kankuro was predictable; he had the same color scheme for ten years. I doubted anyone saw him without those marks on his face before except the family.

"I think I just need a new look." He sounded real irritated. That was when I realized that it took a lot for someone with his massive ego to come knocking on his estranged sibling's door.

"Like I said just put it back on," I chided, "There isn't much she can do to you."

"She took my kit," Kankuro explained.

For the past six minutes, I hadn't even looked at him. Yet, I knew he was sulking. With a face like that, sulking just didn't look right.

Resentment laced every word I said, "Your posse isn't here now. Buck up already." I wasn't the same person. Seventeen year old Temari wouldn't save anyone, except herself. I refused to linger thus sink into another pool of obligation. Really, I did. I hung on with so much fortitude that would make all the dead from the Great War congratulate me.

"I wasn't in a gang," Kankuro mumbled.

Wasn't in a gang?

"With all the smoking, trash talking, and car lifting you mean to tell me you aren't a former gang member?" I scoffed.

"Yeah, I smoked. What do you want from me? Considering all I've been through I can't really go waving a I love Suna flag everywhere I go. I hate to break to ya, but you don't have much of a pretty mouth either. Also I am many things but a thief isn't one of them."

Two points for the doll fellow.

I might not have seen Kankuro in a while, but he would never tell a lie. Kankuro had always said he was going to breakaway, cut away through the wires and tangles that fixated on us. Because of that I had always thought he was in a gang, maybe a biker or something.

Maybe he wanted something to remind him of home also, like a deep purple hue.

Keeping a low profile…

I thought about the boys I saw yesterday.

"Close your eyes," I commanded as I led him into my room.

Tiredly I got a few oils, I'd have to buy some more later.

When I was done, I looked at his face, I wasn't an artist and I had no intention to keep on touching his sweaty brow, but it looked pretty good.

"Listen," I said when he opened his eyes, "Don't go overboard, it can't get anymore detailed than that." If he did, Maya would blow a gasket.

Kankuro looked at my compact mirror I opened for him, "You suck, Tem."

"JUST GET OUT," I hollered throwing him his purple makeup.

I'm never doing him a favor like that again.

My eyes went toward the window, it was slightly open and I could feel a tiny breeze come in. It reminded me of a baby's breath, soft and warm. In that instant I thought of something forbidden. I tried to forget about it.

But I couldn't help thinking….

I finally managed to shake my head clear, but I believe the damage was already done.


	4. Chapter 3: School

**Chapter 3**

Sand, searing, encased him. It came into his eyes-his nose. It was dry and irritating beyond anything he had ever experienced. The warm wind brushed his body for what seemed like hours. It was hot and bothering, but there was no escape. Summer's small flared into his nostrils. Winters bone chilling mark left him instantly. His eyes, dry and scorned, were shut as the tan, gritty, earth spiraled around him.

In the distance, he could hear water rushing on the shore. It was another dream, he knew that, but the sands would not allow him to break free. He could feel the waves attacking the sand that threatened him. Taffy was what the water tasted like, salt-water taffy and it came rushing down on him all at once.

He had never once been to the beach, but it felt so real to him. The sand released him. It turned to mud and cooled. He didn't have to look down at himself to know his bedclothes were a complete mess. His hair clung to the nape of his neck.

He stared at the seaside unfazed. As he had discovered long ago, this shore had many peculiarities. However, just as he had discovered that, he found also that it was best not to linger on such things.

Briefly, he looked toward the ocean waiting for the unspeakable to take place.

The water was not a deep blue like he had saw in pictures nor was it clear, it was-

"SHIKAMARU NARA!"

The boy groaned and turned over, _tsk, troublesome woman._

"SHIKAMARU!"

He rolled over and turned off the intercom on his nightstand. He couldn't believe that crazy woman managed to sneak that thing back in his room.

The boy's muscles were tense and his eyes were heavy though he had a twelve hour nap.

After a while, he got up and dressed; it was going to be a long day.

As he walked down the stairs, he saw his mother cooking in the kitchen. The heavy stench of meat hit is nose. It was tempting and he could feel his stomach growling. He stayed at the staircase a bit weighing out his options. Eat breakfast and submit to his mother banter or Skip the meal and be miserable for three hours. Turning away from the pan, she looked toward her son scowling.

"Hurry up already! You're going to give your father a bad name," hollered his mother, "You should be happy that your father proposed the donations to that school…"

He tuned her out as he did every morning she ranted.

His father, Shikaku, was reading the newspaper and leaning back in his chair. His eyes fully focused on the words and not the ranting woman.

Yoshino once was a decent female attorney, but she managed to grab for the wrong guy, and was now a typical housewife. Shikaku however had maintained his career still working as a manager in Konoha's biggest cooperation. When asked about his opinion on what they should do with the extra money that accumulated over the years, it was his dad's suggestion to fund one of Konoha's high schools. To his co-workers, the idea deserved praise beyond words. His father was not only promoted but given an award by the mayor and even was kissed on the cheek by the Superintendent.

To Shikamaru it was the biggest mistake his dad ever made. He was four when all that decided. Now ten years later and his mother found the need to still brag about it. Not only she, but many others became expectant of him over the years. Shikamaru even had the complete board of education his back. Back then, the board of education consisted mostly of grandmas.

Ever since he was small, he had a cynical attitude towards woman. Whether it was his mother's doing, gene, or simply because he knew better, it was unknown to him.

Shikamaru stared from his plate and looked toward his mother, who was telling them about the other housewives. To put it simply neither cared about whether 'Haruno san is such a doting parent' or how 'Sunako chan really needed a makeover'.

They didn't care.

They_ never_ would.

But that _never_ stopped his mother going off at the mouth.

"Shikamaru here's your lunch," said his mother kissing his forehead, "Be good. Shikaku get your feet off the table!"

Shikamaru sighed at both of his parents. His father was so whipped. Yoshino barked at the man, ranting about her former successful career and she could have been a judge by now and other crap.

Grabbing his lunch money from his mother's clenched fist, he left the scene without so much as a goodbye. He neared the door and looked out the window just to see his friend waiting for him outside.

Chouji was a round fellow; his cheeks had swirls on them. Permanent maker was never a good idea. It was some sort of tradition those freaks he called family had.

For a while he felt sorry for the boy, but it turned out nothing ever happened, so it was okay. It's not like he was the only one in school with stuff on his face.

"Your parents still arguing," asked Chouji munching on some chips.

Shikamaru nodded in response.

"Must be tough my parents never fight." That's because his were delusional.

"It's not fighting really, just my mom biting my dad's head off," he sighed.

"Tough," said Chouji, "Want some?" He shook his head and his gaze wandered up to the sky.

The sky was a light blue, like it always was; it was cloudless though so it didn't attract his attention for long. It was his dream to have a life like the clouds, so easy going and peaceful.

"Hey guys," hollered a voice.

That was probably something he'd never get until he was six feet under.

"Hi Ino," Shikamaru greeted dully.

Chouji continued eating ignoring their childhood friend. He knew what was coming next.

"Chouji can I see your homework," Ino asked.

"No," The husky boy replied promptly, avoiding her hypnotizing gaze.

Ino scoffed, "And why not?"

"Ino has it ever occurred to you that the definition of 'seeing' doesn't mean putting your name on it and handing it in," asked Shikamaru drly. Of course, that never occurred to the gaunt prima donna.

"That's because I ran out of time to copy," she whined, "Come on I'll repay you big time!"

She was tugging on Chouji's sleeve.

Shikamaru sighed he knew what was going to happen next.

His friend didn't have any tolerance for women. He simply could not truly comprehend how manipulative and unruly the opposite sex really was.

It made Shikamaru's head hurt how convinced Chouji was with that one move.

"Okay."

"Alright!"

That was a problem with the school's dress code.

As long as you were clothed and wore the school's symbol you could practically do whatever you wanted with the uniform.

The school's uniform was simple: the school's specially made jacket, worn at all times in exception to extra curricular activities, gym, and summer weather; a skirt for females, pants for guys, a collared shirt, and dress shoes which again must be all worn at all times in exception to heavy labor activities.

There were so many loopholes in there it wasn't even funny.

Shikamaru observed his female friend.

She had gotten a jacket which only covered half of her back, probably purchased from Konoha's emporium. The jacket was like any other, only it was tight, like her shirt, and if she bent…

She also wore a pleated skirt, which was pink, which matched her jacket perfectly.

He heard someone whistle. Looking in it's direction, he saw a gang of drooling middle-school boys. Those brats looked at the oblivious girl as though she were a dessert. He was thankful that Anko sensei stopped them from doing anything to the gym uniform.

He watched as the other high school students (specifically the girls) glared at them from the corner of their eyes.

It was understandable though.

He and Chouji were respectable, wearing the navy version of the jacket along with long slacks. It was a shame the other kids in his school weren't half as modest. Chouji gave Ino his homework. He grimaced at the girl's satisfied reaction. Surely, in the future, Ino would be every man's undoing. "Thanks Chouji, you're a pal!" She curved her glossed lips into a knowing smile.

They walked to the rest of the way together.

All the while Ino was telling them the rumor that Sasuke had a girlfriend. It was so unrealistic and exaggerated they hadn't bothered to do a double take on it.

The day was mild, a tad on the chilly side, like most wintry days were in Konoha. Everything had its own color and place, and its own uniqueness. The air was clean; no sand ran up his nose or anything.

"So I was said that it was completely impossible, because I was like the librarian, you know, I have more info than any encyclopedia. You know, at least when it comes to rumors and stuff. You should have seen the look on that girl's face wh-"

Shikamaru looked toward the reason why Ino had stopped talking. A few feet away, stood a group of colorful and cute maidens.

"It was nice chatting with you guys," said Ino cheerily, "Don't worry, Cho, I'll pay you back! Bye Shika!"

Shikamaru saw Chouji wince. There she went again. "Well I'll be seeing you," said Shikamaru. Chouji patted his friend on the back and walked up the stairs.

Their lockers were on two different sides of the school.

A major difference between this school and the rest of the schools in Konoha was the school's method of placement. Age became a thing of the past. Wavelength proved to be Konoha High's main concern. Students were grouped together based on quality of work.

For example B students in math go with other B students in math, D students in history go with D students in history; there was no variety.

The teachers were given strict instruction to make their students improve. If the students were group A, which were the cream of the crop, teachers instructed them on a college level.

Shikamaru had maintained a C average just to avoid getting held back all the way up to his last year in middle school. Now he was in the second semester and an F student.

Now he should've gotten all F classes, but he didn't. He had **two** 'A' classes one of them was Math and the other Geography. All the rest were Fs-like his grades!

He failed gym. You could get a one hundred by walking that or scooting on the floor. That's because Gai sensei gives an A for attempt! Not effort because it does not begin with A as Gai found out while substituting for Kakashi's English course. Yes it was a shock to everyone.

You're probably wondering why his lazy bum was in those classes…well…

"Shikamaru stand up!"

"Ugh."

"Do it or you go to the principal's office!"

Standing up he looked at the man.

The reason was simple really; he had two bad ass stalkers.

Once upon a time when Shikamaru had begun his senior year of middle school he met these two guys, who just happened to see what he was all about. The guy in front of him, whose name hasn't come to him in years, and his math teacher, Asuma had once had opposite subjects. Asuma used to teach geography while the other guy taught math. They tried to get Shikamaru up to his level of potential and failed miserably.

So they stalked him all the way to this high school.

Just for revenge.

That Shikamaru was sure of.

He wondered what would happen to the school if everyone maintained a C average. He came to an answer, "money go bye bye."

"Go in the corner," said his teacher.

"Yes sensei…"

He heard his classmates snicker. "As we all know, each city in this country has its own climate and landscape, thus covering the physical geography of the place."

Did he actually have to listen to this again? Especially while standing up?

"Konoha has a mild climate where is rains often. Snow fall is not considered rare, but it seldom occurs. There are many rivers and lakes. All of which are located near parks, schools, and museums. It is known for its forests. The terrain is grassy and mostly flat in exception of hills…-but you all apparently know this already…"

The teacher looked at the lackadaisical faces of his pupils. The teacher grimaced. "STAND UP STRAIGHTER NARA!"

The boy groaned in response but did what he was told.

"In contrast Suna has a sandy terrain. From my description you can easily tell that there is an infrequent amount of rain and that the chance of snow is zero…"

"Sensei," asked a girl raising her hand

"Yes?"

"Why is that we are recognized as cities, though we each have so far out climates."

The teacher sighed.

"That's because of a war that broke out a long time ago, possibility back in feudal times. The places we now recognize as cities was once their own-

"That's enough Sakura, we're not here to teach anyone history-we do not have time," hissed the teacher, "But thank you for your brief enlightenment."

Shikamaru continued to stare into the corner. He felt his chest grow heavy and he knew what was about to happen.

_I wish she hadn't woken me up early, _Shikamaru groaned at the familiar sensation.

There were times when even the lazy bum didn't even want to sleep.

Every time he didn't finish a dream it would come back to haunt him more, only more demanding.

Those dreams of his were disturbing.

He dreamt of the hot sand and the warm winds again and again in the same fashion for seven years. And always…always…there was an aquamarine ocean that brought away the sand as it clashed with the rubble and left his face flushed, flushed with anger, confusion, and from the bitter cold from the waters which stroked him.

If that didn't take the cake something even more bizarre would always commence.

As he closed his eyes he swore that he hated geography.

_**00-**_

"I can't believe it takes someone five hours to eat TOAST," groaned Temari flashing her

'Visitor' ID which had been stamped for approval by the school guards.

Temari had to apply her makeup again. She was just so happy that hairspray seemed to work.

"What I can't believe was that she nearly drove into that tree," said Kankuro rubbing his shoulder.

"She's an alcoholic, what did you expect?" Temari chided.

"The only reason she flipped out was because Gaara took her last piece of toast and scared the crap out her," Kankuro whispered.

They looked to the boy, who was still nibbling on a piece. The guards were so scared he didn't even tell him he couldn't eat in the halls. The three wandered the halls looking for the office. It was like a ghost town in there. The only noise was their shoes and the light humming of the water fountains.

"Damn where is that place," hissed Temari looking around.

"Why don't you stop and ask for directions," Kankuro asked. He said it as though it were the most obvious answer in the world. The girl's shoulders shook with anger. "Shut up, do you see anyone here," the female asked briskly. The area annoyed her for its silence was impenetrable. Hardly luxurious, the corridor resembled a prison entrance. Temari looked over her shoulder and squinted at the skinny, laid-back guards. Those two couldn't be any more than twenty three.

If she didn't find that place soon, someone was going to be in a world full of hurt. The three siblings wandered around for a bit, testing new directions and occasionally walking in circles. Temari grunted when they passed the janitor's closet for a third time. She leaned against a wall right next to it. Perhaps her sense of direction had lamed since her arrival. Konoha's odd culture must've done something to her. Eyeing the bland and checkered flooring, Temari slumped her shoulders. Just as she was about to call it quits, her younger brother's low voice hit her ears. "It's over there," said Gaara pointing.

Temari and Kankuro eyed the direction he was pointing. Temari flinched again. A few feet away they saw a medium sized door with a huge rectangular windows on each side of it. Without a word of gratitude or praise, Temari and Kankuro stalked to the door. They two examined it. Kankuro's face held relief, while Temari's only showed distain. Temari peered into the rectangular windows and saw nothing but a white wall and a medium sized desk with papers stacked on it. Behind it was an electronic window with huge green letters moving on a black background. **Student council meeting at 12pm three weeks from now; All clubs must attend. Lunch Menu: noodles, rice cakes, broccoli, corn dogs**

"Ah!"

"What?" Temari asked snapping her head toward the middle child. "What happened?" She looked at Gaara questioningly. The boy remained as still as a statue, his eyes cold just like one.

"It's so cold…"

Temari rolled her eyes and opened the door. The three grimaced; the room was air conditioned. So that was how a school was funded…rich jerks. Not that she could talk she was rolling in green stuff directly.

Slowly they walked over to the front desk.

"You three must be the triplets," said a woman. Their heads snapped toward her. She stood behind a wooden crescent-shaped desk. A nameplate situated on the round corner; it read: Shizune.

"Come again," Temari asked.

"Lady, do we look like-

Temari nudged him the ribcage, "What my brother means is that you're mistaken."

She had her eyes closed smiling. For she was sure if she opened them she would give her family's trademark scowl. "You're right," said the woman, "You are the three Suna transfers, am I right?"

"Yes, you are correct," said the Temari still smiling.

"Oh, good," said the woman radiantly, "It's very nice three here."

Temari and Kankuro nodded shielding the woman from Gaara's glare. Shizune passed out the schedules among them, Kankuro had to give Gaara his, for he refused to so much as come in contact with the woman.

Temari smirked. Each of there named ended with Maya's last name. Prematurely, she declared her plans successful. She glanced over to Kankuro who looked rather dejected. Temari shrugged at his sad look. "_Why can't we go as ourselves?"_ Those words echoed in her head.

She had told him how unsafe it was. How uncalled for it would be. However, she forgot to tell him the most important reason. She looked at him and knew instantly that it would shatter his resolve. How deeply she didn't know, but never could she risk it. To keep from spilling the beans right then and there, she directed her attention somewhere else.

As Temari looked at her schedule harder, she saw something, something was off.

"Excuse has there been a mistake?"

The woman eyed her, shocked. She hit a few keys on her computer.

"M. Temari age 16, right?"

She was so going to kill that bitch.

She just lost one year of her life.

A/N:

LOL, it was really fun doing this chapter, especially the last part. Also know, that this chapter has been revised.

If anyone has any questions don't be afraid to ask!

Right now I have to do a shout out.

Thanks libithewolf for being my first reviewer for this fics, thanks highly appreciated, I hope you like the later chapters as well (Sorry I didn't give a shout out earlier, hope you're not offended by my shout out lol!)


	5. Chapter 4: All hail mondays

**Chapter 4**

What was going on?

The plan had been so perfect, so thorough, so what had gone wrong?

Temari had jotted down everything to exact detail incases of emergency; her documents held little of what was left her former life, but though altered, they were hers. And they had been contaminated.

She had thought back to her study and modification.

No way would she screw up, no way would she make a mistake.

There was only one way…

Maya had done something wrong.

Maya had mutilated Temari's hard work; but why? How would she benefit from taking down that precious year of her life?

There was a difference between careful and paranoid; it was possible that woman crossed the line.

Kankuro looked over toward Temari. Her face it was blank, but he could tell she was doing everything in her power not to go chase down their former nanny.

He nudged her, Temari looked up and smiled at her brother, "Sorry," she said, "'Must've been something I ate…"

How long had it been since she realized it?

That she felt that sensation with everything she had? It was still eating at her stomach; she had lost something…again…

"It is required that all new students take a tour of the school," said the woman sweetly

That sweetness made Temari want to gag.

"Is that so," she said wearingly as she clutched onto her schedule

Seeing Temari wasn't up for the charade right now, "That's cool," said Kankuro

He looked at his sister.

What was she to him now?  
~~~~~~~~~

0-0

Class had long been dismissed, Shikamaru gathered his things, but paused when his teacher was talking on the phone.

"Shikamaru you're being called to the office," said his teacher

"What for," the boy asked groggily

"You did sign up for NSD didn't you," asked his teacher

Shikamaru groaned.

That had to have been Ino's doing. The girl found enjoyment in just making his life miserable. Over the past three years, she taken it upon her herself, always, to sign him up for things he had no interest in. One of those things was the rarely done: New student duty.

It was a convenience to the faculty not to him.

There was a system that went around in a circle nicknamed, 'pass the buck'. But akin to their policies it had many gaps as well.

In all his years of life, he had always been told to be efficient, simply to be capable of use, to compress the impossible. It was unfeasible for the normal human to set aside their emotion and mind, especially children. That is why years later, he found it almost unbearable to move on.

He collected his things and moved on toward the office.

It was probably those dreams.

At first they were as they were, just dreams, but soon they held him a nearly unbreakable trance, they wouldn't let him escape until they told what was needed. Unlike most dreams they didn't express idealism or fear; it was just a plot, a sturdy plot that he followed.

And it wasn't fear he was feeling just exhaustion.

As he walked he saw a mirage, a mirage he was sure of that, and he kept walking because as he learned that's all it could've been.

0-0

Temari's mind was still on the how her age got dropped.

She was one year younger than she used to be, so that would make her the same age as Kankuro. But that was wrong, what was Maya thinking?

Their births were messed up now…

Kankuro walked as the boy walked passed them.

"Shikamaru where are you going," asked the woman, "The new students are right there."

The boy, Shikamaru, turned around, his face never changed.

The woman walked up to them formally, "Shikamaru these are the new transfers."

Kankuro sighed, "Kankuro," he pointed to himself, "Gaara," he pointed to his younger brother, "And Temari," he pointed to his sister-what type he didn't know.

Temari took note of that and mentally cringed. It was so obvious to figure out what he was thinking.

Shikamaru just looked at him.

"Shikamaru knows everything there is to know about this school, ask anything and he'll know it," said the woman patting the boy's back, "He will be taking care of you for the rest of this week."

"All hail Mondays," muttered the boy Shikamaru

Kankuro looked at the boy over just once and that's all it took for him to dislike him.

"Well I suggest you hurry," said woman

"Yes, have a good day, Shizune san," said Shikamaru.

He glanced over at the three, "I'm starting at the cafeteria."

They walked across the hall.

"As you can see, this is the cafeteria," began the boy

Kankuro felt this was going to be a long tour.

Unlike Suna hallways, they were wide and more drawn out, leaving little room warm of sweaty bodies. It didn't give a good home feeling or an earth style.

Instead of mud and dark red tones, they used spring green and blue. Instead of cubbies they had small slender lockers, all locked. Temari eyed the corners, continuously contrasting until she felt better.

The windows were high up, Temari didn't like that. She loved looking down at the soil from an eye leveled window. Earlier she had hoped that there was such a window so she could gaze down on the dry afternoon grass.

The students were switching classes while they were on tour.

"Haha, what's up Shikamaru, on newbie duty again?"

Temari eyed the boy. He had brown hair and dark eyes; he had weird markings on his cheeks.

"And who's this cute thing," the boy asked putting his arm on Temari's shoulder

He was grinning. She could see his canine like teeth.

"I'm not a thing," she said sharply

"You're one of those girls that are all bark and no bite, huh?"

"You'd know all about bite, wouldn't you dog boy," asked Temari smiling

Kankuro groaned wishing she'd kick the habit.

There was always a problem when Temari started smiling.

"If you want me to prove it to you I can start now," she said, "First I'll go for your ear, then your nose, and then finally to your throat. By then you'll be on all fours, won't you?"

The boy paled.

Temari grinned and patted his shoulder, "It's a joke where I come from. Older sisters tell it to their younger brothers all the time."

Some joke it was.

Kankuro snorted, "I think you forgot a few parts wrong Temari."

"Oh I did," she asked feigning confusion, "I didn't know that."

She watched as the boy looked at her, not the weird one with the pale markings, but the one with a pony tail similar to hers.

Noticing she had her fun she turned toward Kankuro.

"What was that guys name again," she asked pointing to Shikamaru

Kankuro shrugged.

"Was it Donald?"

"No Donald's that cartoon guy you like so much," sighed Kankuro playing along

"Howard?"

"No."

"Edward?"

"No."

Temari pursed her lips and played with her fingers, "Kyou?"

"No. Kyou's your ex boyfriend," Kankuro said smirking

Temari stifled a laugh.

Her boyfriend-right.

"Is it a mammal or a vegetable," she asked

"You're way off."

Temari bit her lip and scratched her head, "Does he work at a coffee shop?"

Kankuro shook his head, "You're going off topic again."

"Was I trying to figure out where some guy is?"

"We're playing not 'where'," Kankuro said rubbing his temples

"Is it a cat," Temari asked

"We're not playing 'what' either," Kankuro in an annoyed tone

The other boy tried to pitch in, "Shika-

"Oh yeah I remember now I was trying to find out who Shikaku was!"

The weird boy laughed. Temari raised a brow.

"That's my father's name," he said

Temari was annoyed by the dullness in his tone, "Then what's your name?"

"Shikamaru," he said rubbing the back of his head and yawning

_Why did that guy have to step in I was going to play some more, _Temari thought

"It's very nice to meet you," she said shaking his hand

The boy seemed unfazed by the warmth in her voice and instead gave her a questioning look. His eyes were as cool as the room but gave a mild shine. They weren't like those of her family which dulled completely after a macabre episode, possibly several if she dared to count further. Slowly she let go of his hand.

"Its new student treatment," explained Shikamaru, "The school laid out the responsibility of transfers to the students, so they all took it upon themselves to do whatever."

Temari nodded understanding. They gave harsher treatment to their transfers, Temari felt a bit guilty at the past. It was a test of character, Temari noted if the kid hadn't been laughing and rolling everywhere, she would've slightly regretted the first play she put on.

"But seriously that was rich," said the boy, "Super funny."

Temari smiled and joked as well.

"I'm Kiba," said the boy

"Temari," she said shaking his hand.

It was sweaty.

"Well I got to get to class." Kiba said as he gathered his things, "I'll be seeing you guys around!"

Shikamaru waved at him.

"You should be happy some first year actually flattered you, Tem." Kankuro joked.

Temari put a hand on her hip, "Why wouldn't he?"

They felt a heavy gaze on them.

"What?" The two said in union.

Shikamaru just sighed.

"Where did your younger brother go?"

Temari looked behind Kankuro. He was gone.

Oh crap, this was bad.

**~Twenty minutes later~ **

"Did you have any luck?" Temari asked.

"No," Kankuro replied.

"Shit! Where did he go?" Temari wondered.

The school was so big that he could've been anywhere.

It shouldn't have been that hard because everyone was still in his or her classes. That left the bathrooms, but they had already checked that.

"Maybe he went home," Kankuro suggested.

Gaara didn't know the meaning of that word.

Temari thought and thought but nothing was coming up. She couldn't put herself in his shoes because he was an erratic psychopath. As children, they learned never to leave a path or evidence leading to such, not even a crumb. Gaara took on those words more than anyone did. If he wanted to be gone, he would be and it was just that simple.

"You should check the music room."

She turned toward Shikamaru, who hadn't moved an inch since the recognized disappearance of Gaara. "That's the only place you haven't checked, right?"

That was true. She didn't remember seeing a music room anywhere.

"Where is it?"

"Turn left from the Cafeteria, make a right, and you'll be right there," Shikamaru directed.

He was right again.

Temari opened the door to the music room.

It was dark, just how Gaara liked it.

She flipped on the switch.

"Gaara," Temari asked, "Are you in here?"

In the middle of the room was a body covered in cloth.

Temari took a step inside.

It was warm, everything about it was. The walls were painted bold like the sun, the rug was a deep brown, and it smelled like dirt. There were some withering plants on a windowsill. It was a mess, but it gave a familiar atmosphere. Gaara most likely thought so too.

Temari stepped closer to the boy and knelt down. She saw him flinch as the closeness, in response she backed away.

Gaara had been sitting there listening to an old music box, that's music was slowly dying. All that was really heard was the grinding of rusted gears.

In truth, she didn't know what to say.

For a while, they had been looking for him as if he were a lost child. What was she supposed to say? "We missed you," or the so classic, "I'm happy you're okay." Neither would be true. It was mean to say that, but it was the truth. If it had been outside of school, they wouldn't have even tried to look for him.

"So he was here." Kankuro said as he came into the room.

He observed the dump and found it hadn't been used in a while. Very few instruments were in the room.

"And this is the old abandoned music room," said a voice

It was Shikamaru.

"When a lot of money came in and the members of the music club no longer had enough space for instruments they moved farther down. That happened one-year ago and no one knows what to do with this room. It has been said that it will be used for some new established club, but no club like that exists or has been approved as of yet."

Temari and Kankuro didn't even care. Screw the tour they didn't care.

Temari glared at him from the corner of her eye. Gaara glared too.

"Come on. If they find us here they're going to throw a fit," Shikamaru said.

"Who would?"

"The patrol would. I have to report to the office at the end of the day, I have to get the tour done by then."

Gaara stood up abruptly and walked behind Shikamaru.

The two followed suit.

Temari wondered if that game she played earlier had any affect on him. If that were the case then she could breeze through school easily. The comical types are easily accepted. In that case, it would be the forgetful sister and the easily annoyed, but helpful brother skit. However, it seemed that that Kiba boy had a rather weird sense of humor.

It also seemed that he forgot her assault on him earlier. If she hadn't thought quick…history would've repeated itself.

Temari chuckled a bit. He was so scared.

"You really are similar."

Temari looked at the boy weirdly, "What?"

He dismissed this.

"None of the clubs are accepting new members, but if you happen to get sent on an errand…."

Temari looked at him, but as she stared further on, she realized that it was useless. There was for more to him that met the eye.

A/N:

Thank you for reviewing.

I would like to address some things on the previous chapter.

Shikamaru is a genius. I didn't change his characterization at all aside from that would fit his surroundings and plot line. There is a reason as to why Shikamaru was failing, one of those reasons was obviously he's lazy. However, this creates the argument that Shikamaru no matter how lazy he was would set aside his laziness to get good or fair grades.

I totally agree.

In the anime/manga Shikamaru wasn't known as a failing ninja at all, a lazy one, but not a failing one.

That is where the plot of this story comes in.

In the previous chapter there were some hints that Shikamaru seemed a bit off. First off, I mentioned his grades. In addition, he suddenly dozed off while standing up.

I was being a bit mean.

I hope this chapter cleared some things up.

Please don't think any less of me because of that.

I also want to make something clear with the whole conversation between Kankuro and Temari. May I say mind games are my forte; I love them. This was actually supposed to be the two tricking Kiba into forgetting or rather overlooking what Temari did. I do this all the time, I'm sure others do it to. It is a low class trick that often makes people loose sight of what happened before. It's sort of stupid, considering how Temari and Kankuro are. However, it works doesn't it (depending on who you do it to or when)?

The weirdness that happened in the last three or four chapters kind of happened to me and when comparing something to personal experience I tend to be vague.

Please forgive me for this long note.

Thank you.

Next time we'll be getting into Shikamaru's dreamworld. Stick around!


	6. Chapter 5: Shikamaru's secret

**Chapter 5**

Foresight, one could possess it in two ways, through logic or through premonition. The first will mostly lead you to praise the latter is what gets you in trouble.

Shikamaru remembered waking up often as a child frightened of the sand, the sand that suffocated him, breaking him. The cool, crisp, salty waves had not come yet; instead, they taunted him with the sound of it on the rocks.

It had only been a dream. However, at that time he knew not how to separate fact from fiction. It left him dry, upset, and annoyed. There was no remedy for bad dreams, not for a child anyway. He learned slowly how to recuperate from such visions.

He learned never to tell anyone either.

It happened on his seventh birthday party. There were streamers, cake, party favors, and best of all presents. His mom had planned that party in three weeks. The best present he received was from Chouji because he knew him better than anyone. He had told Chouji and nobody else from the moment he started seeing the dreams.

On his birthday, he gave him a recorder that would play the sound of the ocean while he slept. He also gave him a blue shirt. The recorder worked well for about three whole years until when Ino came and broke it. When that happened, she was never allowed in his room again. She was still apologizing for it.

Those things weren't important. What really mattered was something that Shikamaru would never forget.

After the party had ended Shikamaru decided to go tell his parents about his dreams. He described his dreams as weird and scary. His dad dismissed this saying that it was normal, but his mom, his mom was a different story completely.

Yoshino was hysterical.

The next day he woke up to the loud sound of an intercom. When that happened, he looked around and saw himself on the big screen. It was creepy.

He also attended therapy sessions. They put him in a small room with pictures everywhere then asked him to draw pictures. Mostly of what he saw in his dreams and how they made him _feel. _The only thing he did was sleep. Even as a child he knew drawing sand crushing him wasn't going to get him anywhere.

The place was suffocating. It had windows, it was air conditioned, but the pressing eyes of his parents crushed him more so than the sand in his dreams. It was odd to all of the sudden be trapped just because your mom watched a little bit too much TV.

Every night for three years, she would be in her son's face asking him what he dreamt. It was a simple question but Shikamaru found it hard to answer because of the dryness in his throat. This would worry her more and she'd take him to that suffocating hole again.

He remembered it smelled like coffee. There were many details that he remembered but it seemed there was something he was forgetting. Shikamaru often thought of this as he scribbled on the drawing paper.

Realizing that wasn't working the therapist chose other methods. First, it was puppets, then it was books, third they tried the connections thing. It was them doing stuff he liked like looking at clouds. Shikamaru was stuck on that for a long time, it was a fun thing to do, just talking about how the sky made him feel. By the time he was ten, he was forced to communicate.

Every time he went, he was forced to explain his dreams in oral presentation. His mom was there during them, so it was very easy to lie. He said his dreams were fading, but they were getting more vivid. He said he was feeling more active while in fact he was feeling sluggish. There were many more sequences in his dreams, but he said that they simply were no more. He usually ripped off Chouji's dreams, which were about him flying in the sky or being in a nice restaurant.

After three years of going there, he was free. He didn't have to go to that box like place again.

He was so happy. Yoshino even treated him to an ice cream.

His mom sometimes would sneak the intercom in his room, but all other devices were completely done away with. His dad had done him the biggest favor by disposing of them in the rubbish bin knowing his mother's fear toward germs. That deserved him a kick out on the couch, but Shikaku got his respect since then (though he was still whipped like cream).

The wildness of his dreams came again, the water would take away the sand, and later he'd find himself in at the seaside. He'd explore, finding odd shells and rocks. Each time it was something different. Later he discovered a cottage, it was full of people and they welcomed him happily, there he ate his fill. Many people were there, they were all dressed in uniform, and their faces were bright. Many of the girls wore lip-gloss; one of them he thought seemed familiar. Their hair was a dull blonde and they had very dull eyes.

As time went on, possibly a good year, the people in the cottage disappeared one by one, saying that the celebration was done.

There was only one person left; he was eleven when he saw that person. They had green apple eyes, golden hair, and a smile that zapped all his energy away. That person, like the others, eventually disappeared as well.

The cottage was empty and he found himself playing with the dirt on the floor.

There was always sun there was no night.

It was a dull place, but with a good view of the sky from a dusty window.

When he was twelve, he found the silence of it a good thing. Later it became a habit of counting down seconds as the clouds strolled by. It was so beautiful. It was rough getting there, but he'd always go to that cottage.

'As long as it remains this way, it'll be fine,' he would think often.

It was for a while.

Soon day turned into night. It was so sudden; it was like turning off a switch it happened to fast. As he kept dreaming things became less abnormal. There was a sunset by his thirteenth birthday and he started feeling rapid exhaustion. Later in the same year he was being pulled into his dreams too soon, which had never happened.

He couldn't tell anyone.

In his age there would be more actions taken ones more drastic. Though the dreams were tranquil (aside from the rocky beginning), the way they progressed would always turn some heads, and he found his only counselor was his friend Chouji.

Everyone lies, it was true, but he never believed he would lie to his best friend. Things changed when he was fourteen. Counting was a waste of time, for there was no time limit anymore. They would just take him randomly. There were times when he would feel himself doze of as he crossed the street, which wouldn't have been odd the way others viewed him, but it always made his heart jump. Chouji was worried, he knew, but he wouldn't tell him anything.

He couldn't tell his best friend about he was slowly loosing a grip on things.

He could barely admit it to himself either.

The plot of his dreams wasn't irregular. It didn't prolong itself for years, no something new happened everyday. It seemed to go on like any normal day. Sometimes it'd be something as boring as playing with dust bunnies on a carpet or getting a milkshake. Other times they were fights, accidents, and even…

Those things had always made Shikamaru odd, outside from his high intelligence; there was something that would probably tip over every theory known to man. Especially whatever humans could gather about the psychological. His mentality itself probably wouldn't be in question, but what he saw and felt. They weren't _just _visions.

He'd try to destroy those thoughts. They weren't logical.

But his dreams weren't at all logical to what humans think the brain works on.

He didn't want anything of the things in his dreams. For a while, he enjoyed solitude in his dreams, which was his favorite thing. If it were a reflection of a want surely, he should've continued to think about being alone watching the sky, but he wasn't alone.

Not once had he experienced or seen any of those things in real life either. He hadn't looked at how a beach looked until he picked up a magazine, but by then he was already dreaming.

He had no desire to.

Nothing logical made sense.

His mind didn't make sense, the logic he acquired through study didn't make sense, and therefore nothing made sense. In his mind, there was an endless cycle of things that couldn't be.

That meant only the silly things made sense, things that couldn't be proven, things that were argued over for many years. That included the supernatural.

The theory that is subconscious hadn't made it all up was highly possible.

With his fear of being judged, something he had always avoided, he knew he was alone. If that got out everyone would judge him.

For a while, he simply stopped thinking all together. He relied on just basic routine to get him through him the day.

That didn't get him far.

Yesterday his dream world practically threw itself on top of him. His feet moved around in the halls by memory. That's when he saw that person.

**It was like a mirage in winter. **

00000

Kankuro was to say the least afraid. "Temari be cool."

She was fuming. She had held it in all day with less mediocre humor, but it all came in now.

The one thing she loved was her age. It made her feel proud, how she managed to stick around for as long as she did. She loved it as she loved Suna. Her birthplace and age were intertwined. She never faked her age.

Maya was the exact opposite of Temari in that way.

The woman was being as cool as ice, her facial expression never changed.

"At least give me a reason why." Temari hissed.

"Did you really think we would've had you enroll into school if we thought it'd take a few measly months?" Maya asked.

Temari tensed.

"We need all three of you in on this-

"If dad doesn't want us back soon just say so, but don't give me that crap." Temari said.

"It's just one number. If you weren't built like you were I could've made you the same age as Gaara."

Gaara looked toward her.

"If this is about the family relations thing, I made a bit of a mistake on that part," Maya said.

Temari nodded, "It could easily bring up the question about who our father is or if we even have the same father." Of course if Maya was their 'mother' that meant they didn't.

Maya suddenly yawned, "There are a lot of single mothers nowadays and everyone has their own circumstance. We can't play the good family; you kids aren't built that way. Just don't do anything too stupid and you'll be okay."

That didn't excuse the fact that she had gone back in time. Even her birthday month was changed.

That wasn't all that was bothering Temari.

Their dad could've just sent them here because he didn't want them there, which was understandable, and made them have this 'mission'. Even then, there were many things that didn't add up.

"Is there something you're not telling us," Temari asked.

"You never had the right to ask that," Maya stated, "And that will not start now."

It was a familiar sentence, one that their father or those closes in position would use.

"Why did you tell me," Temari asked.

Maya titled her head at that, "Didn't you hear what I just said?"

She looked at the three of them apathetically. Maya may have been weary of Gaara, probably terrified, but she knew he had no say in what happened. None of them did, and she took it to her advantage. In every battle they fought Maya would win. Temari hadn't thought about that when making the deal. Despite that anger, her abode was waiting for her.

As long as she kept her cool, she'd be okay.

She stalked off and went into her cupboard and diligently she took out a fan. It was beige with purple circles. As a kid, she could recall the memories of bullying Kankuro or playing with the neighborhood kids. They were good times. She fanned herself. It brought so many memories. As the air came to her face, a new memory played. It was a gentle feeling, like a mother's kiss.

Though she recalled a kiss as a child and it seemed natural to refer to that person as mother, she wondered if it were truly her mother's mouth on her cheek. Was that too a modified memory brought on by mere brain washing hours on the television? Could that be compared to Kankuro drinking mouth wash hoping it to come out of his ears or like Gaara half heartedly waiting for werewolves? Then that forbidden thought came, a thought that had been banished, but was weakly returning.

She wondered if she had the courage to fight it.

00000

I sighed as the males gawked at me. I knew I was hot, even if Kiba dismissed it as a joke, I knew the truth. I wore a normal skirt, just a regular navy, that went passed my knees. I didn't wear a skimpy mini skirt or have my training bra sticking out of my shirt. If didn't put on eyeliner to bring out something that wasn't there and no I certainly didn't flash the dudes sitting next to me. Those things were going on around me as I sat in the lunchroom. I was a teaser.

They were just a rowdy bunch of monkeys.

TV over the years has really distorted the minds of children and apparently their drive as well.

Konoha's lunch schedule was a bit different from the one in Suna. The schools in Suna separated each grade here each student was drawn randomly for their lunch hour. At first, I believed it was taken from ID number, but the numbers varied too greatly and no real pattern could be placed. Then I thought maybe everything was done by color, but not many wore the same color everyday, the school did not know the word sameness when directed at their fashion sense.

I sipped my juice, that was another thing that Suna schools didn't have, already equipped lunches. My lunch was often precooked and stuffed in a paper bag. There wasn't much a difference, except they had trays. I wondered if all schools in Konoha had those privileges.

I sat at the table alone.

Maybe I was being avoided. Kiba came to apologize for yesterday by the look of a slap mark on his face I bet his girlfriend wasn't at all too happy. Aside from that, nobody came toward me. Kankuro didn't share lunch period with me. Gaara did, but he chose to ignore me and wander off to another table that was much darker and recluse.

Briefly, I wished he stayed, so I could beg him for his jello cup. It was green and giggly, the two big Gs in kiddy snacks. Maya didn't give _me_ one (she spoils the boys by nature) and that made me want it even more. I'm not sure if he'd give it to me though. I was a bit too afraid to ask. Another part of me didn't want to admit that I liked such childish things. However, I kept looking at it. Why didn't the school hand out jello cups? They had cookies, chips, all that junk, but they couldn't hand out a low calorie giggly treat?

I was keeping it cool still playing with my straw.

_Stop glaring at your brother's back and get a grip Temari_, I chided myself.

Suddenly I felt someone sit next to me. I looked toward their face; it was that person, from the tour.

Then my eyes wandered to their tray. No jello cups.

I sighed.

Then I pondered on what I should do next.

Not being able to think of anything useful I greeted him, "Hi."

He nodded.

He really pissed me off.

I smiled, "What brings you here?"

That translated into 'why the hell are you sitting next to me?'

"I'm supposed to be looking after you," He explained.

That didn't mean he had to sit next to me.

"Those on new student duty are given students based on their lunch schedule," Shikamaru stated.

I didn't care about that. I can't believe I remembered his name.

"Then I guess I'm lucky. It's a bit too bad I don't get to see you often. "

I was still smiling.

He was still unfazed by the warmth in my voice. I was sure I grabbed the pitch just right. Maybe he noticed the sarcasm in it; he did give off that smarty look.

He yawned, "I'll be seeing you later."

Of course, you had to squint to see it.

"This is the only time of the day I see you." I accidentally let out the excitement in my voice.

"We see one another in Geography."

I blinked.

That was about a half hour away.

He yawned again and motioned a few people over.

Okay, I think I've seen this on TV before, fatty, a nerd, and a loud mouth came up to greet the new kid.

They introduced themselves.

The blonde one was Naruto, the chubby one was Chouji, and the nerd was Shino.

Then a few others came up to me.

There was this blonde chick; I saw her earlier flipping her hair in some pink haired chick's face.

She was Ino and the other was Sakura.

I greeted them all by name and smiled. I saw Kiba come up and join the party.

Shikamaru shook his head a bit.

He looked like he was observing the scene. I recognized that body language anywhere. It was discreet, but detected nonetheless. His facial expression was dull, but his eyes were calculating as though he were-

I felt someone touch my hair. It was Ino. She was smiling, "Weird…" She kept playing with my ponytail; I tugged at her skirt and said, "Short." She smiled and sat down next to me, there was only a little space left on my right side, and I was surprised she was small enough to fit.

"Oh, my gosh," Ino said smiling

I didn't get it at all. "What?"

She dismissed my question, "You've got such a good figure."

What was with that girl?

"Seriously you should join us."

I twitched, "Join what?"

Sakura cut her off, "Temari doesn't want to join you and your anorexic groupies Ino."

Ino glared.

I chuckled a bit. It was so true.

"Well I don't think she wants to join you and your band of board browed girls Sakura."

It was a lame comeback, but she put good emphasis on her name. I like mocking tones.

"Pig," Sakura yelled.

Sakura, from what I could tell, wasn't just a bottle bubble gum haired freak. She had this air around her. Ino may have been exactly how she perceived herself, I wasn't sure yet. To overcome you must study. Evaluations were a necessity in every spy mission.

I grimaced at those two lines.

Everyone took notice, especially that Shikamaru fellow. I dismissed it with a joke. They all laughed (with the exception of Shino, Shikamaru, and Chouji). I watched as Shikamaru readied himself to leave, his first move was just a second prior to the chime. Lunchtime was over. We all said our goodbyes and walked ourselves to our respectable classes. The hallways gave a new shine and the scent of lime cuddled the air. It was a welcomed smell.

In the corner of my eye, I saw Naruto giving the thumbs up gesture to Shikamaru who returned the sign downward. I laughed.

I watched as Shikamaru came up to me. His eyes held _emotion _once more. My clock in my chest was ticking and banging hard against my soul. I say soul because it passed throughout physical limitations. Those eyes did as well, they turned from me, to the ceiling, and he yawned.

It must've been only my imagination.

_**00000**_

_**0000**_

_**000**_

A/N:

In the next chapter, we'll actually get a better view of Shikamaru's dreams. I wanted to do it in this chapter, but then I had a good idea. I wonder if you'll like it, I hope so.

Thank you for the support.

Review please.


	7. Chapter 6: Questioning ambition

**Chapter 6**

It was mid morning. The smell of coffee was strong, still lingering and the birds chirped nosily. It was just any regular day.

Shikamaru walked along the streets wondering. His mind would come to the authentic smells of flowers and breakfast, the cool breeze brushing alongside him, and the sounds caving in on his eardrums.

It was all so hard to think about.

Bits of snow clung to bus signs and metal posts. He trailed his finger on one and winced at how _real _it was.

Despite being there for only a few weeks, he knew the corners well. His mind traveled down the long road toward his childhood memories. He didn't want to think of the possibility.

His mind traveled to events that are more recent.

Yesterday had been a test, a reaction test.

The way she smiled had been all wrong. It was a smile he had never known, but that smirk that she tried to suppress and that laughter…it seemed familiar. He walked across the cold and colorless pavement. His cell phone vibrated, he ignored it. His eyes were droopy. His posture was lacking more than it ever did.

There was a warm tone that took away his shadowy thoughts of winter. He wondered if that warm voice had been intentional.

He stuffed his hands in his jacket and walked the streets. They were crowded as they always were. He had to push by a few people. He continued this until he was somewhat alone, 'somewhat' because he could feel a presence coming in from behind him.

"What's the matter?"

He looked to his left and saw her.

She was the one that caused his agony.

The woman wore a long brown coat that went passed her knees. He peered into her pouch; he could see the can of coco she was using as a pocket warmer. Her face was flushed red despite the cold. Shikamaru wondered how that was possible.

Shikamaru answered her finally, "Nothing."

She blinked.

"Aren't you late for work," she questioned.

"Maybe…"

"You have to work sometime, you know," she said. She put a gloved finger in his face. He stopped his movement instantly. All he could do was look at her. She blinked clearly confused at his action. "You've been weird lately."

This was all a dream, he reminded himself.

"In what way," he asked.

The woman was annoyed. "Don't play with me." She warned him.

She put her arm back to her side. That expression was so….

His lips seemed to button.

He looked at her retreating back. "Pick up your phone next time."

He flipped open his phone and found her name flashing in yellow.

His frown got deeper when he saw she was no longer there.

Suddenly there was another call. He picked up.

"Shikamaru, where are you?" The voice sounded alarmed.

"South," he answered bluntly.

"Well hurry up, we need your proposal in today!"

"Don't worry I'll be the-

His alarm went off.

"Shikamaru?"

He blinked, "Yeah I'll come in soon."

He _knew_ he would.

Shikamaru hung up.

00—

-~M. Temari, junior, 10 15, science~-

To say the least, she didn't like her science teacher Kabuto. He constantly pushed up his glasses as he worked around the demonstrations and procedure. There was a bright glare in his eye frame that made her wince yet want to laugh at the same time.

She was in a _B _class. There were dozens of B, C, D, and A classes and she just happened to get the stupidest. Temari sat next to Ino in the left corner; their desks were pushed together. Kabuto explained that the new seating hadn't arrived yet and Temari thought that as instant bull. Considering how the cash flowed around in this school they probably had it, but they were too lazy to set it up.

Temari looked at the girl next to her who was texting 'I wuv U' with a smiley face.

She had discovered a few things about Ino since the day they met. First, Ino was cheerleader-schools in Konoha had _cheerleaders_! Kankuro was so happy to hear that. They had cheerleaders in Suna, but they had to wear big heavy uniforms. They were stacked like an army. Another thing Temari learned about Ino was that she had a long rivalry with Sakura. That wasn't really that hard to figure out. Temari, to put it simply, had no real information about the girl.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw Shino and Kiba. Shino was sticking (what was usually seen) his face in a magazine and Kiba was slouching. He looked rather bored. She understood his feeling well.

There was another person, Sasuke, she believed, who was actually taking notes. No, he wasn't scribbling every other sentence like she was, he was writing as Kabuto talked. That took major skill, Temari mused. There was a girl with reddish hair throwing love notes at him. Sasuke didn't even seem fazed. Temari chuckled a bit. She'd like to throw something at him too, just to make him scared. Maybe something like Gaara's old haunted teddy bear would do.

He reminded her a bit of Kyou while he worked. Kyou had gone to school with her and Kankuro swore they were dating. However, he was nothing more but one of her father's lackeys. She regretted the childhood she spent with him.

"Karin, please stop throwing things at Sasuke." Kabuto sighed. Karin stopped immediately, but pouted. "But sensei, Sasuke likes it, see he's smiling!" The boy was twitching. "Is that so?" Kabuto sounded amused. Temari could tell he was no fool. "Well, until Sasuke admits this to me, stop it."

The girl smirked and began writing notes as she pressed her feet on the back on the boy's chair. He seemed to be restraining himself. Sasuke seemed like a no nonsense person, but maybe he just didn't fight in school.

She felt Ino nudge her suddenly.

"I know, right? Isn't he hot?" She whispered.

Temari rolled her eyes.

Ino huffed. "You're no fun when it comes to these things."

"There just isn't someone that tweaks my interest," Temari admitted.

It was probably the only truth she spoke to the girl.

"You know I signed Shikamaru on that NSD thingy just to get him a girlfriend," Ino stated, "But it didn't seem to work." Kabuto seemed to ignore her as she spoke aloud freely. Temari looked around and noticed there were very few kids in their class; aside from those she mentioned there were about five no names. That's eleven students (counting herself).

"Are you listening?"

"Ah, sorry-

"Don't bother."

Ino closed her phone and began paying attention in class.

Temari did the same.

00

"What's your favorite color?"

She looked over toward Shikamaru who was sitting next to her at the lunch table.

"Orange," she lied.

Why did he want to know anyway?

"Favorite drink?"

"Pineapple soda." That was Kankuro's favorite.

"Age?"

She stopped.

"Why?" She asked.

"I was just asking."

"I am sixteen," she answered slowly.

He nodded.

"Are you planning on doing any activities while you're here?"

"No." She said bluntly. She drank her juice. It was pineapple. She liked pineapple _juice _not the soda.

"What are your hobbies?"

She was annoyed, "Why do you want to know?"

"Its part of my duty to encourage activity for new students," he explained.

"Everybody has a hobby."

Why was he pressing on her so much? Shikamaru had no idea.

He just knew that he needed some answers.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't, so stop whining." Temari put her hands to her lips slowly. She pretended to wipe some juice from her lips. She just went a bit out of her character.

His heart did a summersault.

What was she going to do?

"Sorry," she said.

Maybe that would cover her tracks.

His passive look made her not know if he accepted it or not.

"What. Is. Your. Hobby."

Temari twitched.

"Plant. Watching."

"Cloud watching," he said without the slowness.

Shikamaru watched as she put her juice down and gave him a sideways glare. It wasn't really a glare but a dark stare. "Are there any clubs that involve plants?" Temari asked.

"Gardening," he suggested. Temari smiled, "No. I don't like getting dirty." She brought out her painted fingernails.

Temari patted her ponytail, looked at him, and flinched. He had one too.

"What is it?"

She bit her lip.

I worked hours on this, Temari thought.

She didn't have to get a new hairstyle. She could just grin and bear it.

Temari smiled and thought of a corny joke, "Look! Twin pineapples!" He felt something familiar in that sentence.

Of course, his hair was darker than hers was, but who cared?

His was more like a spoiled one.

Did pineapples turn that dark when spoiled?

Strawberries did.

The joke was wasted on him. He didn't even chuckle or smile.

Temari sighed at her wasted effort.

He hadn't gotten him at all, not even on day one.

Shikamaru felt tired. He was slipping. Temari watched as he grabbed his books. The bell rang just a bit afterwards.

00

Shikamaru put his phone in his pocket.

He was dreaming again. He sighed as he walked down the streets to get to his workplace.

When he got to the doors he flipped open his wallet to give his ID and stepped in the entrance. The security looked at him bored.

He took the elevator to the forth floor.

He walked into the glossy, thick, double doors. They had been waiting for him.

His boss glared at him a bit, Shikamaru shrugged.

"I apologize for the long wait," He said.

There were not to be any excuses.

They wouldn't understand even if he did explain his situation.

"We were told you had a new idea," his boss stated.

"Yes, actually I do," he motioned one of his colleges to grab his display.

"Is it movie production this time," asked one.

"Or is it marketing."

"Movie production," he stated blandly, "I am here representing an idea from that division as a favor. We worked on it together."

"It was your idea to get us into the theater," said his boss, "We've been popular since then."

Shikamaru nodded. He vaguely remembered being given a party in his dreams for the achievement.

"I'd like to present you: Mirage in winter!"

Shikamaru flinched as he revealed the poster to them.

"I've been told it's another romance," Shikamaru sighed.

"I want your opinion; do you believe this is good?"

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

"We'll consider it."

**Three hours later….**

"You gave them another chick flick?"

Shikamaru nodded.

"Did she talk you into it," asked his friend concerned.

Shikamaru nodded again.

"Seriously that chick should just stick to flowers."

"I read the script it was really good. It'll go fine."

"So how are things going for you?"

He looked at his two friends.

"Good."

It wasn't a lie.

"We're talking about-

"Good."

"Nobody is two hours late for work and _good."_

He drank his tea.

"You looked-and still look really dejected!"

There was something bothering him.

For starters, he was forced to notice a correspondence he always chose to ignore. He had always ignored it because it was too hard to bear, but he found himself pushing more than he should have. It's not as if he just noticed that the two in front of him looked familiar. He had grown up beside them. He had dreamt of them since he was a mere seven year old and he played with them outside.

"Hey guys!" He recognized that loud voice.

He watched as the owner sat down in the seat behind him.

"Hey Naruto."

"Hey Kiba, Chouji, Shikamaru."

He didn't want to listen anymore. However, his mouth forced him to continue talking as though it were nothing.

There was a knock on their table.

Shikamaru looked up and saw the woman he had seen earlier that day.

She was grinning.

Shikamaru watched as she stole a chair from another table and sat down.

There was so _much difference. _

Despite himself, he gave a, "Hi."

He watched smiling as she cupped his hand.

"See you Shikamaru," said his childhood friend.

"Yeah see you," Kiba said disgusted.

"Tell your girlfriends I said 'Hi'," she said waving.

The three men nodded.

When they left, she grinned wider. "I got a surprise for you!"

He wondered what it was as she blindfolded him.

He was led out the café doors.

"Shikamaru!"

He kept on walking.

He felt something hit his head.

He woke up.

Shikamaru groaned.

Temari looked at him sympathetically, though a bit amused.

The teacher had just whacked him with a textbook.

"Stand up in the corner!"

She watched as the teenage boy submitted and did as he was told.

As he did so, she couldn't help but smirk.

Once again, she crushed more of his resolve.

A/N:

Well we were to see a bit of Shikamaru's dreams.

I would like to make something clear. Shikamaru has forgotten or blocked something rather crucial from his dreams. He doesn't want to accept what he has and can see.

That's all the hints/info I can give you without blowing away my whole story!

Thanks for the support. I hope I get more from his chapter.


	8. Chapter 7: Slippery Logic

**Chapter 7**

"Here we are!"

The blindfold left his face and dropped to the floor.

Just a minute ago, he had been in class forced to stand in a dark corner. Now he was in an apartment building staring at a painting on the wall. He realized he had been led into the dream girl's bedroom. His eyes stared at the painting of the sky before him. The shade of blue was realistic; the clouds weren't puffy but wavy and stretched across the canvas. It was a freshly made painting.

"I know art isn't your thing, but I thought it'd be a nice present," the woman said as she smirked, "I got it made this morning."

The woman didn't care about presents. She never bought him anything-_ever. _She was a holiday skeptic as well. She was far worse than any scrooge or miser he had ever met.

Shikamaru rubbed his hair. He had been such a jerk earlier.

"Sorry about earlier," he said.

"Forget about it."

Shikamaru mentally rolled his eyes. She just didn't want to admit she was hurt.

The woman jumped on her black loveseat. The dark shade of peach made the room seem shady and mysterious, just the way she liked it. Shikamaru smirked; the woman had grown heavily attached to the theme since it had been posted in Suna's furnishing magazine. It was still a fad. She claimed the name, exquisite dusk, did something for her. That wasn't a _total_ lie.

"So do you like it?"

He nodded.

The woman smiled happily and patted the spot next to her.

Shikamaru winced, the woman smelled like pineapple. He plopped down next to her and yawned. "Tired, baby boy?" She asked.

Shikamaru had discovered that he was about twenty-five years old in this dream. The first day the time changed, he managed to find his ID in his wallet. It was such a weird experience. While he was wandering on the streets, he saw her, and she teased him. It was she that directed him on his course in the dream. She had always seemed familiar to him.

It took him a while to realize the relationship they had even with all the common sense he had acquired.

She brushed his shoulder with her hand. "I have a business trip coming soon."

At first he believed they were really good friends. He wasn't wrong.

"What a drag."

The woman smiled in triumph.

After looking at her ID, he found that she was three years older than he was. That was yesterday morning in dream standards. Shikamaru was troubled. It wasn't a dream affair that caused him to be uneasy it was a reality one. It perplexed him to no end.

"Are you going miss me?"

He gave her a sideways stare and sighed, "Always, Temari."

With that, he was rewarded.

00—

It's official.

He is creepy, no, not my brother Gaara creepy, just creepy.

I was standing in the lunch line and I noticed that Shikamaru was right behind me.

All I could do was just smile at him. The smile was forced and my cheeks twitched, despite all my effort, I didn't get a wave or anything!

When I finally reached the beginning of the line, I put in my pin number.

This school was so technical I was surprised they didn't have conveyor belts. I wonder how Maya got me into this place.

I grabbed a green tray and thought about it.

Maya was persuasive, maybe she had some strings pulled. It was Maya who got Kankuro interested in marionettes after all. My mouth went dry when I thought about it. Kankuro was really freaky with his dolls. I cursed my mind; all my thoughts always involved my brothers, as though my whole life was centered on them. It wasn't.

When I thought about my old school life, I can't help but laugh aloud. I always got good grades so I could brag and chastise those in my group. I always fought off bullies (by being a bully myself). It didn't matter what type they were. That didn't mean I was a hero of justice, guardians' actions don't have to be toward righteousness. I was just looking for a way to maintain my peace and that meant protecting Suna. We'd blackmail those that put graffiti on walls, misused the alleyways.

Now that I really think about it, I had no right to accuse Kankuro of being in a gang. If I were to be classified as anything, I guess it would be a gang leader. Most of the people I hung around with me sons of my father's business partners, they just did whatever I said. Now that I think about it, my methods weren't reasonable. I was such a princess. The only real good thing about me was that I was strong. Sometimes the problems did get out of hand though. Unfortunately, I wasn't some superwoman that could ward of three dudes at once, so I'd always get beat pretty badly. If it weren't for my brother being a psycho, I probably wouldn't have learned self-defense.

Sometimes I'd return home with my pretty nails broken off or my uniform ripped. That rarely happened, but when it did…let's just say that I wasn't the nicest person to be around. I was like a princess that was knocked right off her throne.

It's really weird how moving makes people have a different outlook on things.

That or maybe it's because Maya cooked dinner last night.

I looked at my tray. Aside from the main meal, there was nothing there. I walked further down the line and saw a display of treats. Some were cakes, cookies, and others were more nutritious. I groaned and found nearly nothing I wanted. I did like sweets on occasion, but I had a big chunk of chocolate last night. I was about to walk away when I saw something.

You may have guessed it.

My eyes stared longingly at the jello cups.

I tried to turn away but it was so tempting.

"Hey, keep the lines moving!"

In a second you old hag, I thought.

I bit my lip.

Suddenly I felt an extra weight on my tray.

"You should keep the line moving."

I looked behind me. Shikamaru stared at me emotionless. I did what was _suggested _(I'll never admit I was told what to do by someone three years younger than me).

I arrived and my table and huffed.

Shikamaru plopped down right next to me.

"Why don't you help Gaara for a change?" I asked.

"I did on several occasions."

I raised a brow. "When did you?"

Shikamaru hissed suddenly, startling me. He mumbled a curse. I looked at him not knowing what to do. "Are you okay?" Let him be okay I don't want to get myself involved in anything. Dark eyes came my way and I felt my breath hitch. Where did that sudden emotion come from? I couldn't decipher the emotion reflecting in his gaze. For some odd reason I didn't _want_to. I felt like it was something forbidden to me.

I managed to gather my cool after a while. What a weird person.

He wasn't in pain.

My heart felt even more at ease when those eyes stopped flickering. Shikamaru stared at me blankly again. "Are _you _okay?" I smiled, "Yeah."

Shikamaru scooted a bit away from me.

I shook my head in amusement. "Why don't you sit next to Gaara?"

"Your brother said he didn't want me sitting next to him."

He actually approached Gaara. I stared over toward my younger brother's direction. He looked okay by himself anyway, right?

"That still doesn't explain why you sit next to me." He had already given an explanation, but that didn't mean I could accept it. "I told you." I feigned confusion, "You did?" A sigh was the response I got.

"There is a lot of open space here, why don't you invite others over?"

"Why would I do that?"

"I don't know, maybe because you don't want to be alone?"

"How would you know how I feel?'

"You're not denying you don't want to be alone?"

"Does NSD support encouragement of social groups?"

"Yes."

"Then the only reason why you're here is to annoy me enough to get me to another table, to encourage a social amoeba?"

He didn't say anything. I did what was expected of me. I turned and walked over to a big table filled with boys and girls alike.

"T-Temari?"

I noticed Naruto looked shocked.

"Hi!" I said trying my best to sound cheery.

They smiled awkwardly.

"This is a surprise!"

I looked around and noticed there were at least five people I didn't know already.

"Hi I'm Lee." He took my hand and shook it roughly.

I pulled it back I thought it went numb. "It is nice to meet you." My smile was weaker.

"Let me introduce you," said Naruto standing up.

"This is Neji."

I met lavender eyes, he grunted at my stare. "H-

I was shoved to meet the next person.

"Hi I'm Tenten."

I nodded as I was pushed down again.

"H-H-Hi I'm H-Hinata."

I smiled a bit then I was shoved down to see Sasuke.

Sakura and Ino sat at another table.

"This is Sasuke!"

"I know." That is what I wanted to say. If I said I did, that would show I had interest in him and I didn't. He was fourteen and I was so out of his league. He had a good facial structure, but after three days in Science class, I began to notice that his hair looked like a duck's behind. He turned away from me. "So your hair matches your attitude," I whispered harshly. His eyes snapped toward me, I ignored him. Mentally sighing I looked over at the group once more. I saw that Chouji kid was stuffing his face, Kiba making Hinata laugh, Shino staring at Kiba, and all the rest just staring at me excluding Sasuke. This couldn't possibly work out.

"So…may I sit here?" I averted my eyes giving me that shy look. I did admit the shy look didn't go well with me, but even people with my sharp looking eyes could be shy.

"Sure!"

I grinned and sat in the place they made room for me in. I was in between Hinata and Kiba. "We thought you didn't want to sit with us."

I looked at the boy. He was giving me a dog's smile. I examined Naruto who was doing the same thing; they both had canine features. Kiba jerked his head towards me expecting some kind of answer. "It wasn't that." Crap I hadn't figured out what I was going to say. "You looked like you were happy there, alone." My mind suddenly stopped working all of the sudden. "We thought you were pretty cool and everything, but you didn't make any effort to come chat," Naruto explained.

My mind started rolling again as I thought about the conversation.

"It's been a good week," said Kiba loudly.

I smiled, "Sorry."

A part of me wanted to laugh.

Today was the beginning of my second week at this school.

00—

It had been a good three days since he last saw dream Temari. The woman had really gone on a business trip. Since then he was often hanging out with Kiba, his colleague.

His dream world was really screwed up. He had always pictured him and Chouji working in the same organization, but instead Chouji was the head of a catering company. It wasn't at all surprising, but it was odd not seeing the plump guy on a regular basis. That distinction always made him feel unpleasant.

He opened the door to his house, yes his _house_.

The walls were a cream color, not completely white, and the flooring was burgundy. His house aside from stacks of paperwork and his last night's dinner on the edge of the table was quite tidy.

Shikamaru thought more about the world around him. Sometimes it felt like he was watching from a great distance instead of living. He couldn't say certain things. When he tried, his mouth would feel like it was numb and move on its own. Shikamaru knew that it was because he never really tried to pull out of this world's structure that he was suddenly feeling this way. The boy in a man's body was feeling disoriented, out of place. He knew it was because he couldn't accept the new ideas coming into his mind. In reason, he was just crazy!

In the real world, he was in his bed snoring lightly. In the dream world, he was zoomed eleven years in the future.

Shikamaru stopped himself.

The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.

He heard the buzzing of his alarm.

Shikamaru groaned as he hit the darn thing.

No matter which world his mind succumbed to, he had already known.

----

00

I finally got the next chapter up! I'm so happy. Of course, I tend to post two chapters a week for this story anyhow.

Okay, this is Doss' let's address some things/take up space corner: (I only have it here because it makes me sound not as stupid)

I had always pictured Temari as independent, smart, and self-assured. Temari does smile and it's really awesome when she does. Some of those smiles are intentional, however most aren't. She has a bit of a soft side and she gave into her role a bit.

There was a bit of time gap between the beginning of the chapter and the rest of it, so it might have been confusing. The last line of Temari's pov was to show that she had been wrong about her accusation earlier. Shikamaru was assigned to watch her for one week.

Shikamaru is a bit curious, but it's mostly because of how nerve wrecking it all was. Most people when thinking they can see the future would be like 'cool I'm psychic' or think they're crazy. Shikamaru had to put up with that a lot throughout his life, but as time went on; he didn't care anymore and kept to himself. The dreams got a bit overwhelming, but aside from that, he thought of it as a routine. Now suddenly when Temari came it was as if his dream was thrown straight into his face.

The dream Temari and the real one have similarities, which he doesn't deny upon first meeting Temari. Later he started denying it because he was a bit paranoid and started seeing some heavy differences and that made it worse for him. When he hissed it was because he made a mistake in his plan of getting information out of her.

There is a lot more twists and stuff, but I wanted to get those out of the way.

The whole line about the mind and such was a quote from somewhere. I read it on a billboard in a library. It was titled "Knowledge" but there was an actual place and person that said that.

I would like to thank those who read my last chapter. I thank those who supported me throughout the whole story. I whole I get more support.

To see where I'm going with this, review!

Please


	9. Chapter 8: A growing hate

**Chapter 8**

Temari dreamt of hot sand in her toes and the glorious bold sun shining ahead. She stayed there, content in her daydream, with the sand becoming cool and her breath becoming visible under the twilight. In the distance, there was a yellow glow brought on by the streetlights. The city was still busy. Far away from the sandy area there was limousine sitting by some artificial plants. She could hear the honking of the horn, but she wanted to be greedy and stay longer.

Her hands ran over her scars. She wasn't proud of them. They were a symbol of how hotheaded she was.

Temari loved Suna.

Suna wouldn't leave and drift over from island to continent. Her home wouldn't bring her pain. It wouldn't trash her or spit on her.

Temari woke up. She left her sweet haven and took on another identity, one where that precious year of life was gone. Where she couldn't talk about that one last precious year, she spent in Suna. Maya had forbidden it, if only so she would keep her cover.

There was a time where she hated that place.

There was time where she hated how much havoc there was and how easily swooned the people were. She hated the rumors that spread around like wildfire and she desperately wanted them all to burn. All the life in that place could've burned, so why did she change?

It was simple; she just wanted to have something to be happy for. When someone said, 'there is no place like home' it made her feel warm. There was warmth that she always associated with Suna. Temari just wanted to be happy.

She went to a rich school, she was offered the best education possible, but that didn't make her happy. It should've. Temari wanted to laugh and feel happy and carefree, but it couldn't be like that for them. It couldn't be like that for Temari and Kankuro.

It couldn't and wouldn't be that way with Gaara around. Temari knew that was horrible, but could you really blame her?

Gaara was a boy that couldn't love anyone other than himself. No matter how she tried to justify that, it always came back into bitterness deep within her. Temari knew she was afraid of her brother. She always knew. Her pride wouldn't allow her to say it aloud. They had the same eyes, their mother's eyes. Sometimes it shocked her just how different they were. Gaara's were so much colder; they looked like narrower copies of how their mother's were before she died.

Temari sometimes couldn't help thinking about her numbly.

"Temari, the boys aren't awake yet. Wake them up and make a decision if you want me to take you to school."

Temari rubbed her eyes sleepily as she looked at the woman. She nodded, not feeling like arguing.

She went over to Kankuro's room and opened the door. His room was smaller than hers was. There was a circle table in his room cluttered with magazines and homework pages. There was a television, it was super small and had an antenna. The floor was green and the walls were just blank white. Temari spotted some sport trading cards. Her brother could be such a little kid.

Slowly she went over to his bed and knelt down. Slowly she shook him. When he didn't stir, she shook him again.

"What is it Temari?" Kankuro asked as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

"Do you want Maya to drive us to school today?" Temari asked.

"Is that why you woke me up?"

Temari nodded as she yawned.

He went back to sleep.

She slapped his arm, "Do you or do you not want Maya to take us to school?"

"I don't! Geez, don't hit me again Temari."

Temari rolled her eyes as she crawled out of the tiny room.

Temari looked at the door next to Kankuro's one. It was like any other door in the house, but there was something she didn't like about it. Then she remembered, it was the door to Gaara's door. Gaara didn't sleep, it was a known fact. If he did sleep, it was only for a few hours, like two or three tops. He just didn't like sleeping.

She crawled over and knocked on it.

It creaked and she looked up to see his cold eyes staring down on her.

"Is it time to eat?" He asked.

"N-No. I just wanted to a-ask if you wanted Maya to take us to school."

Gaara looked at her and closed the door right in her face.

That jerk just slammed the door in her face!

Temari knocked on the door again, but there was no answer.

She knocked again and again. All her knocks were uneasy and soft, but it made her feel a bit powerful.

At her fifteenth knock, Gaara opened the door. She could see the dark circles under his eyes and could feel his breath on the tip of her nose. Temari got to her feet to reach her full height, her legs were wobbly. "She wants to know."

"Do whatever you want."

It was a demand.

Temari looked at her brother and took a few steps backwards. She turned around. Temari didn't even want to look at him.

_Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara, 7:30am_

"Come on Kankuro!" Temari yelled.

Kankuro gave her a look, "I'm trying to fix my shoes."

"Don't worry about your shoes!"

"This hill is super steep! If I trip on a shoelace I might roll all the way down."

"Roll all the way down and see what happens." Temari said as she brushed her hair. Maya pushed them out of the house. She didn't even want to take them; all she did was sit at the table eating her whole grain cereal. Gaara was eating a muffin, one that he didn't even share. Apparently, Gaara had some sort of breakfast stash in his bedroom. Maybe that was why he never opened the door all the way. The worst thing Temari could come up with was that she couldn't leave them behind. It was Maya's orders.

Just dump everything on Temari. It sucked being the eldest. When Maya was their babysitter, it was even worse. Temari didn't have to go to the store, push the stroller, carry bags, no she was stuck with them everywhere. At night when Maya had a party in the living room, it was she that had to keep track of her two brothers. At first Gaara would be in his own room, but that changed when he was about seven years old.

Sometimes Gaara would be in the kitchen or Kankuro would be on the shelves where he didn't belong. She didn't even try to help Gaara.

Kankuro just loved getting her into trouble. She tied him up one time, but that proved to be a great mistake. Gaara was a psycho, still is a psycho.

They passed the little plaza. They had gone successfully up the hill. Temari turned around to see Gaara limping a bit. His book bag was heavy. She could see rectangular edges sticking out. She hoped those were books and not bricks.

They walked to what seemed like hours. The day was cool, it chilled her erect back.

"How is school?" Temari asked as she rubbed her arms.

"It's okay." Kankuro said.

Temari eyed him.

Kankuro shared nearly all of his classes with Gaara. She didn't know what kind of classes the two were in, but their father never allowed anything less than a twenty-five average from them. The three siblings weren't stupid, just self-reserved. (Of course, Kankuro did act a bit brash every now and then.) It was because they had to be. It wasn't what they really wanted. At least it wasn't what Kankuro and Temari wanted.

Temari found herself thinking more about her family lately.

It must have been the lullabies engraved on her shelves. They brought back so many terrible memories. When she was little, Maya often said, "When you start actually caring about someone, the whole world just might end." That wasn't true, was it?

"So what are you guys doing in class?"

"The same stuff you're doing."

"Oh."

Temari stuffed her hands in her pockets. When had Kankuro become so blunt? That was always Gaara's thing. It was their trait to be snide and extract all their emotion to the surface. Of course, they couldn't afford to in public, but it was just odd. Kankuro didn't even yell at her anymore.

"Did you make any friends?" Temari asked.

"Did you?"

There was something really wrong with him.

It had been four weeks since they stepped on Konoha soil.

Something had changed.

The streets became more populated. There was the honking of horns and she could smell the fumes of heavy traffic. The air was still cool, but in a bitter way. The atmosphere changed greatly. That meant they weren't too far from the school.

In the corner of her eye, Temari saw something.

Her aquamarine eyes stared deeply in the crowded streets. That limped shadowy figure stuck to her vision.

"Shikamaru don't walk so slowly!" It was Ino.

The three were walking to school together.

Chouji lagged behind.

Ino wore white leggings and her uniform was baby powder blue. The jacket was longer than how it usually was on her. Instead of stopping mid-back, it went lower to her waist. Temari looked at her, but instantly regretted her action, when she met Ino's warm eyes. They weren't just warm, they glittered.

Ino wasn't a bad person, she was annoying. It was simple. Ino took to ignoring her because Temari didn't have anything interesting to say. Which wasn't true, she had many exciting remarks. She just couldn't voice them.

Temari looked at Ino and saw how scrawny her legs were. They were like sticks. Had she gotten thinner? Temari bit the inside of her cheek. It was the typical popular chick phase. Any popular girl knows that rule number one is that you keep a good figure. That meant dieting and that meant trashing your stash of funnel cakes. Temari went through the motions too.

That didn't explain the modest getup.

Just then, she noticed that Ino's eyes weren't on her.

They went straight passed her.

Temari wanted to follow that gaze, but she couldn't move from that direction. She felt the toe of Kankuro's shoes hit her ankles. Shikamaru's eyes were opened lazily. His eyes looked at her as though it were perfectly normal. They weren't shocked. His features showed no interest in her existence. It was an acknowledgment or a sign to let her know he knew she existed.

She felt her brother push passed her and follow her gaze.

"You're looking at that guy?"

It wasn't until Shikamaru's gaze left her that she left from that spot.

She didn't answer.

It was obvious.

000_Shikamaru, age 14, west wing, F class: Writing _000

Shikamaru rested his head on his writing workbook. F classes were nothing but hardcore review. When he meant hardcore, he meant that they pressed on every detail. The teachers went over things he had already learned back when he actually cared about an education. It was back when he could put on the impression that everything was all right his head. There was no problem, that the effort the therapist put into his sessions were actually helpful.

That he hadn't been getting worse every second.

That he hadn't actually, not only fallen deeper into sleep, but that he hadn't mixed up reality and fiction. That his mind was not some sort of projector for the supernatural. That the dreams he didn't experience, didn't correspond with anything, that there weren't any obvious similarities.

Shikamaru tried to stay awake.

The teacher rambled on about the importance of punctuation.

This teacher didn't care if he rested his head down. That was the thing with F classes. They'd teach and teach without interruption. They'd give tests and quizzes, none of which he didn't bother to do. That gave him an average of about zero. The teachers in F classes never remarked on it. There were only three classes of F writing students. That just showed how bad it had gotten for him over the last year.

Not all of his dreams were of his 'future'. Some were sweet dreams of clouds or sometimes he wouldn't get any dreams at all. That was what had happened lately, for the last two weeks. He hadn't seen the dream/older Temari. His dreams were always jumpy having no real order. Shikamaru doubted they stopped altogether.

It was a nice break though.

Not that he didn't enjoy at times.

Aside from having to wake up early, there were good times.

Shikamaru still didn't want to believe it, but his mind couldn't shake the idea anymore. It became too real, too blown in his face, especially this morning. Those eyes of hers weren't lucid; they were clouded with suppressed anger. It had barely shown on her face.

Yet it was obvious.

It was obvious that she hated him.

From the first moment, they met, or rather, since the time he talked to her on the tour. She held this hard dislike toward him. She put no effort to hide it. If she did, it must've been not a lot. He had seen that expression before. However, at the moment it seemed so far away. His mind couldn't grasp it, maybe he refused to.

There were no repeats, so he always took everything in detail. He pictured someone with sandy hair and a mischievous grin. Someone that was incapable of hiding rage. If he knew anything about her, he knew that she hated not knowing.

If that was the reason why she was angry, then he could do nothing for her.

He grabbed his books.

"Student where do you think-

The bell rang.

"Yeah I love you, I care for you too." Ino hung up her phone. Shikamaru turned his head in her direction. Ino didn't have any F classes, maybe a D one if he remembered correctly. She didn't belong in this section. By the way, she looked at him; he could tell that she wanted something. He neared his locker and gave a look.

"Could you do me a favor?"

He didn't say anything.

He was waiting for her to explain.

"I'm going out with the squad today." Ino said as she played with her hair. She was trying to look sympathetic.

"I've already got permission in case you're wondering," she said. "I can't be two places at once, so I was wondering if you could handle taking over this folder to the student council. They're having their meeting today-

"You want me to represent you?" Shikamaru got out his geography textbook.

"Yes, the cheer squad needs an actual date for the drive. We need to know what time to show up. They're being all snotty and not telling us, but we have important things to do."

"Where are you going again?" It wasn't the first time Ino decided to dump something on him or Chouji because she was hanging out with the squad. "We're going to another school to support the chess team. It's something new we're trying out."

Was that why she was dressed that way?

What kind of cheers were they doing exactly?

"Pretty please Shikamaru? I'll totally pay you pack! You can hold me to that this time!"

Shikamaru nodded.

Ino cheered. "Thanks Shikamaru! The meeting begins in like twelve minutes, I have to go. My ride is here!" Then she was gone.

Naruto opened his locker beside him.

It was just who he was waiting for. Naruto had about two F class. Their locks were right next to one another.

"Do you know what school the chess team is playing in?" Shikamaru asked.

Naruto thought about it for a while. 

"I don't know for sure, but I think it's the one with the big pumpkin for their school symbol."

"Are you talking about a sprout?" Shikamaru suggested.

"Yeah, that's the one." Naruto said as he searched for his book.

Ino had a boyfriend that went to that school.

Naruto didn't like the school so he always called them 'pumpkins'. The school was sort of like Konoha high, but strict. Clubs were a big deal there, but they had to maintain a certain level for them to participate. That wasn't the case here. You just found a place you liked and went with it.

Shikamaru closed his locker.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm heading to the student council room."

"You're going to see Sakura-Chan?" Naruto asked. His eyes were wide.

"_What is your hobby?"_

He rubbed his temples.

"Do you want to come with me?" Shikamaru asked.

"Can I? I mean I won't be too loud or anything-

"Do you want to come or not?"

Naruto nodded.

"Then you have to agree with me, no matter how stupid it sounds."

Naruto looked at him. What did that mean?

**Temari, age 16 (17), lunchroom**

"What is your favorite fruit?"

"I don't have one." I said.

Kiba was being really annoying.

"Come on, it's a game, we need to make a new word!"

"_Orange_," I said rolling my eyes. I spoke in clean English.

Kiba closed his eyes, "_Raspberry_."

**OR.**

"_Apricot," _Shino said.

I looked at Kiba who as writing all this down.

**ORA. **

They were helping him with his English project. Why did Kiba even bother to take something like that? Hinata took it too and Neji.

Tenten and Lee didn't. Lee was in his junior year and planned to become a gym teacher. Tenten was going to become one too, but she changed her mind for whatever reason.

Those two were the only ones at the table, probably aside from Naruto, who didn't plan on going in business in the future. It was always nice to be safe with languages, though I doubt I would have to.

We had been playing this game for about three minutes and managed to come up with nothing. We would have a good beginning then we'd mess up along the way, much as they did now. I ate my food as Kiba cursed about how he was never going to get it done. That English teacher of his must've been hard. Too bad students couldn't change classrooms.

"Is this really what you have to do?" I asked.

"What are you talking about? This is a game."

"Your paper says: English project."

Kiba cursed again.

He answered her question. "No. I just wanted to try something new. I was always assigned partner that always stuck to the basic stuff, so I just wanted a challenge." He pointed to Hinata.

"K-Kiba I o-only suggested that because w-we couldn't m-meet after school hours and it t-t-took less time." She said pouting as she did her own project.

"You're writing two hundred sentences!"

Hinata turned away from him, "It's a rough draft."

"You're writing down compound sentences! Where did you learn those?"

She pointed toward Neji.

"Her father taught me when I was little," Neji explained.

"Stupid prodigy," Kiba yelled. Then he stopped his rant and looked at him, "Can you teach me?"

"No."

Kiba bent his head in defeat.

"I wish Shikamaru were here."

"He wouldn't teach you either fruit boy," Tenten said. She was doing her math homework. She was getting it done really quickly. It must've been an everyday occurrence or a review sheet.

"Don't' be sad, my youthful friend." Lee said patting Kiba's back, "If you keep youthful you'll find a way to get your project done in time for your basketball game."

"When is the game?" I asked as I set down my drink.

"Tomorrow," Lee said happily.

My eyes widened, "There is no way you're going to get that done. What are your other options?"

"Writing a letter to someone-

"Write a letter to Akamaru," Shino suggested.

"Akamaru can't read, especially not English."

"When you write, keep it short," Temari said, "How long does it have to be?"

"Five sentences."

"Then why are you writing two hundred sentences?" I asked Hinata.

She looked at me and blushed a bit, but didn't answer.

"He has an F in a B class, he really needs it bad," Tenten stated.

"How did you get in a B class anyway?"

"I cheated." Kiba replied. I could tell he felt really bad.

The teacher must've made that with Kiba in mind.

"How about this: Dear Akamaru-

"You're writing a letter to Kiba's dog?"

I looked up to see Naruto staring at us. His face was stuck between confusion and amusement. "Where were you?" Kiba asked.

"I was with Shikamaru. He wanted to see you Temari."

I looked up at him.

Why did Shikamaru want me?


	10. Chapter 9: Club interest

000_Nara Shikamaru, age 14, student council conference room, 12:45pm_000

Shikamaru went over the plan in his head one final time. The room was irregularly shaped and undersized. A large purple table covered two thirds of the small room leaving the little room for entry or exit. The student council members were mostly first years and third years. All of them had repute worthy of their character. Each member had fortitude; they were frank, and rarely wavered. Shikamaru had a plan that would temporarily alter that.

Shikamaru's eyes came to the only two members he was acquainted with.

Sasuke was the student council head. Jaw clenched, eyes unmoving, he watched each representative. His gaze pierced those on spotlight making their endeavors become wasted. Shikamaru watched as he took their proposals and criticized them greatly. "We have many fundraisers as it is. If you wished to organize one, you should have scheduled it beforehand." This fundraiser was a big deal. They were already knee deep in its detail. Not only was it formulated to raise money for a new lunch area but also half of the profits went to medical research. Tsunade, the principal, pressed greatly on this. Naturally, with a superior compelling their participation, they were set in motion of making it the best drive in the school's history.

The student council members didn't care about the 'competition's' opinion of them (which was already low). They would make as flashy as they wanted (of course with school budget being considered).

Sakura had several documents pouring out of her book bag. She had four filing cabinets in the right corner of the room. Sakura was a crammer. She dealt with her qualms by hardcore procrastination alone. The bubble gum haired girl was a mess when events came. As each person walked to discuss his or her needs, she was busying scribbling away. Her nails, which just yesterday had been decorated with diamonds and smelled of fresh paint, were dingy and battered. Her fingertip were scratched, the skin was peeling just a bit. The pressure was getting to her. Sasuke was partially to blame. He did his load of work too, but he pressured Sakura. His vocals weren't known for being the most melodic or soothing.

Sakura had only joined student council because Sasuke had been elected as its president. It was against his will, Shikamaru knew. The ballet was rigged by his fan girls (with the help of Ino and Sakura) and those actually running backed away without a fight. Sasuke took the opportunity and ceased the troubles off the main office and onto them. He drowned himself in his work, for whatever personal reason, and the consequence came on the other members.

Shikamaru watched the blonde next to him. Naruto was still confused as to why Shikamaru had invited him along. Surely, it wasn't for him to get eye-candy from Sakura (not that he wasn't savoring every bit of it). So what was it?

"Okay, Shikamaru why are you here this time?" Sakura finished another document and sighed. Sasuke was sipping from a bottle of water.

"Ino." He muttered. He didn't stand up.

"The pig decided to dump it all on you again huh?" Sakura laughed a bit, but her amusement didn't show on her face.

"What does she want this time? Does she want us to get a new skimpy uniform approved?" Shikamaru shook his head.

"I am here to represent, not just the cheer captain Ino, but the whole team. I am also here to propose something for my own benefit."

Sakura was shocked by his formality but nodded.

"Basically she needs to know what time the drive begins, also what is expected of her team. I am guessing that from what she wrote here that you didn't go over their portion and basically expected them to show up."

Sasuke scowled.

"Their schedule is very crowded and they need an actual date. Otherwise, whatever appointment they might have will be their top priority. They need to know now so they can cancel whatever it is they might have."

"Are you their manager or something?" Sakura groaned.

"I probably am in Ino's eyes." Shikamaru answered dully. He was suppressing a yawn.

"We need the cheerleaders there at twelve o'clock sharp next Friday. We also need something unique and eye-catching." Another member said.

Shikamaru nodded as he penciled it down.

"You said there was something you needed?" Sasuke asked.

He nodded.

"I am here to discuss with you the making of a new club."

"That won't happen." Sasuke said glaring at the Nara.

He thought it was going to be troublesome and he was right.

"We have already documented every club. We had told everyone in the beginning of the school year that all clubs would have to be made in the beginning of the first semester. Not to mention there aren't any sane ideas available." Sasuke was mocking him.

The student council due to the laziness of adults also was also able to ratify the formation of clubs as long as they had a principal signature.

"I have a sane idea."

"Then you'd have to take it up with the principal, though you won't be able to become official until next year." Sakura said.

That was what he was trying to avoid. He didn't want any documents getting lost in that woman's office. It was a junk house. Not to mention next year wasn't an option for him. To be unofficial wasn't an option either.

"Please recall what you wrote for the matter. Your word can change, but what you wrote is forever. It said that any club could be organized at anytime as long as it had purpose and activity."

Sasuke looked at Sakura. Sakura looked away. Shikamaru was right. Sasuke didn't feel like dealing with any more clubs so he told them there would be no more clubs made after a certain date. However, the letter sent out said otherwise.

Shikamaru was happy he hadn't emptied out his binder. "Say your idea. Please know that it doesn't mean we'll approve it. You are entitled to go to the office to express yourself, but there is a chance they will say the exact same thing."

"Until I find a better name, it would be safe to stick with The Geography Club." Everyone looked at him.

"Shikamaru that is the stupidest idea I ever heard!" Sakura exclaimed.

He dismissed what she said. "The Geography club will cover all branches of geography. This will involve math skills and observation skills. As all clubs, this one will bring those that care about such things together. The idea of the club is to enlighten people about the world around them." 

"I believe that is why we have Geography classes, Shikamaru." Sasuke said.

"That may be true but this club will provide activities that will exceed the dull classes that have been given." He was winging it. "This school hasn't given a proper school trip in a few years. Though the school is rich, that doesn't mean that the students are rich. Most students haven't traveled outside of Konoha. The Geography club will ensure the knowledge and experience a textbook cannot provide." 

"Are you saying that your club will take the burden of organizing school trips?" Sakura asked.

Shikamaru nodded.

"How do you think you can raise money for such things?" Sasuke asked.

It was always about money.

"School trips are not cheap." One member said.

Shikamaru sighed.

"One thing about this school is the opportunity for more cash. Every year clubs are required to make money for their activities or to keep their clubs functioning; most of that money will go toward the school trips."

"Your club activities might not be successful. What happens if you don't know make enough money?"

He had already thought of that. The look in eye said it all.

The student council members hadn't seen such a club before. It wasn't ridiculous or completely out of there as many other demonstrations they had seen.

"The school's requirement for a club is five members or over. We'll need you to have more members."

"I already have a total of five."

Naruto didn't like where he was heading.

"Get the club form." Sasuke directed.

Temari was going to kill him.

000_Temari, age 16 (17), lunchroom, 1:00pm_000

"Why does Shikamaru need me?" I asked.

My visage divulged the curiosity. It was a raw emotion. I hadn't expected this. It was obvious Naruto and Shikamaru had been missing, but such an absence shouldn't have disturbed my quick break. No matter how much resistance I put forth, my words were acerbic. My face, though showing how curious I was, also showed my discontent. Naruto eyed me. His ocean blue orbs bore into me, but I never got an answer.

From everyone's expression, I could tell our thought process was one in the same.

"He says it's important."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"I don't know what he wants with you. I was with him in the student council room, for awhile then he asked me to go get you."

I stood up, put my tray on the dirty tray cart, and walked behind him.

"Oi! What about my English project?"

That was too trivial. I didn't bother to give an answer.

The two of us exited the lunchroom.

I figured it was important, since Shikamaru would come greet me himself. He always used to pry.

Shikamaru meant nothing to me.

His presence made me feel sour and disgusted. Every time I turned a corner, I could feel him watching me. Whatever expression he put on irked me to the maximum. I wanted nothing to do with him. The two weeks we were together were nothing. It was a simple 'touch in and touch out' thing.

Why did I have a feeling that that was going to change?

"You know Shikamaru is an okay guy."

I bit back a curse when the blonde rambled on. His words never stopped.

"He is really smart and stuff."

I nodded.

"You'd think he'd be in all A classes!" 

I nodded again.

"So, are you planning on joining any clubs?" Naruto asked.

"No." I stated bluntly.

"Why not," the Naruto asked. "The clubs here are really cool. There's Swimming, Basketball, Soccer, Gardening, Cooking, Nature hunt, Chess Club, Music Club, Tinkering, Science Club, Book Club, Art and Crafts Club, Math Whiz, and Baseball!"

I watched as Naruto counted them all on his fingers.

None of those interested me.

"We even have martial arts clubs!"

I nodded again, shifting my eyes off him.

"Where are we going?" I asked not looking at him.

"You're really not interested in any of them?" Naruto asked.

"They all sound fun, but none of them are my thing."

"You're weird."

I still didn't look at him. He was right, I was weird. I didn't fit in here. My place was somewhere far away from here. There were sandy and rocky shores to explore and the sky was always blue. That was where I was from, that was where I was going. My heart was beating ultra fast, I didn't know why. My face was becoming warm. Was I getting a fever? I brought my hand over my heart urging it to slow down. It must've taken my acknowledgement as encouragement because it went even faster. I looked away from the blonde who seemed to have forgotten where he was headed to. Half of me wanted to bark at him, but I couldn't. Somehow, my legs carried me.

His spiky hair bounced as he walked. He mumbled something then turned, I followed. I walked on with the sound of my heart clear in my ears.

He turned and grinned at me, "We're almost to the student council room."

Was that where we were headed, I thought. We turned about three more corners, until I saw him. He was leaning against the wall looking up at the ceiling. I cursed myself. I felt some relief as my heart dropped right in its place. It was like swallowing bitter medicine. I took the whole situation in.

I watched as several other people walked came into the halls. They came out from a door to Shikamaru's right. Naruto deserted me soon after. He kept screaming 'Sakura-chan'.

"Why did you call me here?" I asked.

He looked at me and half shrugged.

Was he too lazy to pick up his shoulders? 

I forced a smile.

For some reason, when someone smiles everyone becomes at ease or begins feeling friendly. "I'm not mad or anything. It was just so sudden, so what's up?"

I began going back to how I portrayed myself the first time we met: the annoying talkative sibling of three.

"I was helping Kiba with his English project when Naruto came and picked me up. We played a really fun g-

He turned away from me.

"So the reason you weren't at lunch was because you were here?"

"That's right."

"So…"

"I was here helping Ino."

Cut to the chase man, what did that have to do with me?

"Then I decided to do something extra."

"What was the extra thing?"

"I made a club."

I blinked.

"What does that have to do with me?"

I already had a good inkling.

"Do you want to join?"

"No." I said it too fast. I was still smiling though.

Shikamaru turned toward me slowly.

"It's a club…that focuses on Geography."

I blinked. I sensed there was a hidden meaning in his words, but I couldn't decode it. Was it really for _me _to decode? I was fuming. This nobody called me all the way out here to discuss joining a club! I had much more important things to do! "You called me all the way here for this?" I asked, my voice loosing its sweetness.

He shrugged again.

"Why ask me?" My voice finally matched my feelings.

"Do you really have to ask?" Shikamaru looked at me.

"Yes actually I do." I said putting a hand on my hip. "Your contract with that new student thing is over with; at least it is with me. I see don't see why you keep coming over and chatting a way with me. You kept quiet for a while, so I thought you would stop being so weird. Why don't you stop this stalker behavior?"

His eyes twinkled.

I stepped back.

"D-Do you have a crush on me or something?"

Shikamaru didn't look at me.

I saw his posture weaken even more. He leaned on the wall again, his hands stuffed in his pockets. "I need five members. Naruto joined and of course, I did. I was hoping that you and your brothers would join too."

"Do you really expect me to accept?" I asked.

"You should think about it."

"Why should I?"

He gave another sloppy shrug.

I stood there staring into his dull eyes. I was waiting for an answer, a _real _one. I stood there waiting for a bit. I was beginning to grow restless. Maybe it was his gaze that glued me to that spot. I tapped my fingers on my hand. Something familiar ticked within me. It was cold and mechanical. My eyes shut finally as I waited trying to calm myself.

"I'm just interested." He mumbled it, but I still heard him. His voice was raspy as though he had choked the words out.

"Interested in what?" I asked.

"Just think about my offer." Shikamaru sighed.

"I won't have to think anything over. I'm making my final decision now!"

He looked toward me. "I decline."

The boy didn't seem fazed.

I never broke his cool once in all my time of being there.

"I'm going to be writing the club information down tomorrow. You should wait until then to decide."

"Why can't you take no for an answer?"

"You didn't bring your books." Shikamaru said.

He worked his way around my question.

"You're going to be late for class." Shikamaru walked passed me.

I hissed and ran back toward the lunchroom.

I groaned louder when I heard the bell ring.


	11. Chapter 10: The Unanniversary

**Chapter 10**

"Wow Shikamaru you got blown off." Naruto said snickering.

Shikamaru turned toward the boy. "You were listening?"

"Well I am in the club too! I have every right to listen in!"

No he didn't. Shikamaru tucked his books under arm.

"You were angry before, what happened?"

"I'm still angry!"

Shikamaru sighed.

"You went off and did this all on your own. You didn't even tell me! Then all the sudden I'm in your game too! That's mean! I had big plans to join a sports team! Make my name known! I even missed lunch because of you!"

"You only have to participate this year." Shikamaru said. "Besides, no one is accepting new members until next year anyway."

"You even gave us a lame name!" Naruto yelled. "If you don't hurry up and change it that teme is really going to put it on the form, then it's permanent."

"I doubt I can think of any other name. The club naming rule says that it has to state exactly what the club is as to not cause confusion."

Naruto rushed to Shikamaru's side, "So you mean we're probably stuck with that lame name?"

"We'll talk later; we're going to be late for class."

"Wait!"

His eyes were droopy he didn't want to talk anymore.

Truthfully, he hadn't the slightest clue why he was so persistent to make a club. The thought hadn't come to him before. He was beginning to loose consciousness of his actions. Shikamaru knew that what he had just done would cause several events to transpire. Those events would either prove or disprove his theory. He needed to become close to his target in order to observe them.

The hallways grew crowded. It was the second bell. The students rushed to their classes, while Shikamaru took his sweet time.

Time was a very precious thing; he wanted to take it slow even as the world rushed around him. He opened his eyes lazily. In the crowd was the object of his curiosity. All of his concentration was put solely on their existence.

She was sixteen. The Temari he knew would be seventeen.

The Temari he knew didn't have the last initial of M.

The Temari he knew didn't smile without reason.

The Temari he knew didn't put on childish plays.

There were some things he recognized though.

She argued with him.

She was sarcastic.

The way she moved her hips was familiar too.

Shikamaru groaned.

The third bell rang.

He was officially late to class.

Shikamaru loosened the buttons of his jacket.

"Just one day that's all I'll need."

He turned left from the cafeteria.

000_Temari, age 16 (17), Geography, 1:17pm~_000

Temari sat bored in her seat as she listened to the teacher ramble on. This day couldn't get any weirder.

Who did he think he was? Temari had enough dictatorship in her life. Everything about him made her heard hurt. Was she supposed to be flattered by his interest in her? Was this school occupying stalkers at such an early age? That boy was three years younger than she was; he was fresh and still wore his student ID. She couldn't believe she was being messed around with by someone like that.

He was lazy, but observant. They shared one thing in common. They were hiding something. Shikamaru was sure not to let her know _why _he had chosen her.

He was interested, that was obvious, but there was something else. There was the way he avoided her gaze. He didn't blush; maybe she was wrong to accuse him of having a crush on her. Either way, he was hiding something. Temari didn't want to know what it was.

She was going to avoid him as much as possible. She had to be careful. Otherwise, she might be trapped. Temari began thinking more than ever about where to gather information on Konoha's top cooperation. She didn't find any traces really. That was because she wasn't in a position to go snooping around the offices. From what she gathered, the company had no physical contact with the school. Maybe there were bets being places on the school achievement, but that wouldn't help her any.

Temari leaned forward in her chair. Her head was bent toward her textbook. They were talking about the body of water separating the cities. The cities were originally countries of their own, Temari remembered that much. She didn't know why the countries stopped being independent.

She hadn't really paid attention to that subject.

Temari's old school was very small. It was called a rich school because the owner was rich. The school didn't get any support from other sources so there were many limitations. There were some similarities. Suna had clubs, she remembered trying out, but she gave up. She took self-defense classes forced upon her by her father. Most of the girls in this school learned the basics. She discovered Tenten, much like herself, had advanced a little farther. The boy's gym class used martial arts training at times. The girl's gym focused on more small sports such as volleyball or tennis.

The girl bent her head down lower.

This school went by grades, not age, which made things a bit more confusing. The classes they took were sure to be mostly on their level, unless they cheated the system. Some did it to be thought highly of, some just didn't care. This school made this less complicated for her situation, but she couldn't accept it completely.

It had been over three weeks since she moved here. That was all, but it was feeling like an eternity.

She was feeling ill; ill with the winter season.

000~_Shikamaru, age 14~_000

Shikamaru looked around the room. It was warm and tranquil; the carpet was a reddish brown. The sun did not peak in through the windows. It was also dusty and unkempt. There was a desk in the far corner, recluse from all the other objects.

This had to be the place he decided.

He ran his fingers over the surface.

It was warm with future memories, Shikamaru decided this.

He grabbed his notebook and sat down. He began writing once many ideas struck him at once. "There should be a projector here, in the middle of the room. We should have chairs, twenty at least, in case of guests. There should be more tables; I guess I can get those."

Shikamaru looked around the room.

He was going crazy.

Actually, Shikamaru would have to get _better _to be considered crazy.

Did he honestly believe that Temari and his dreams were connected?

The dreams he had always had as a kid caused him much pain. Why did he continue to look further into something that might eventually hurt him?

"_Listen Shikamaru, those dreams aren't real!"_

"_But mom I could feel everything! The water it was so cold and the sand was really hot! It was real mom, really!" Shikamaru yelled. He wanted his mother to believe him. Those dreams were scary; he wanted his mother's protection. _

"_Shikamaru, please don't…" her voice was barely above a whisper._

_Yoshino grabbed his shoulders and smiled, "It's going to be okay."_

That was the fourth week after he began experiencing those dreams. Every night, he would wake up and scream. His mother was so worried she would barely eat or rest for that matter. Her facial expression haunted him. Her face said everything she wouldn't say. She was asking him to get better for his sake and yet at the same time for him to deny what he was feeling…for hers.

For a split second, he wondered which was real; the dreams or where he was at the moment. That's all it was, a moment. Shikamaru watched the deep blue sky as he floated on top of the deep green ocean.

"Shikamaru, are you alright?"

He recognized the voice. He opened up his eyes to find himself lying on his bed. It was pitch black. "Are you okay?" Shikamaru asked. The power had gone out.

"Yeah."

"It's really cold outside." Temari said, "The chill is coming in here too."

"Is it snowing?"

"Yes, hard too," she said.

"When did you get back?" He asked rolling over.

"I don't know. Maybe twenty minutes before the power went out." The woman answered

Crap, he was dreaming again.

How could he be sleeping? There was work to be done! Oh, screw it, he thought. He liked sleeping, it was better than not getting any sleep at all.

"You've been acting weird lately." The woman said.

Shikamaru raised a brow. What did she mean? She had been saying this for a while now.

His mouth stuck together with glue.

He wasn't allowed to respond.

"Usually, you'd ask me why I'm here and call me troublesome." The woman explained.

His lips went unstuck.

"Is that all?" Shikamaru asked.

"What do you mean 'is that all'?" She snapped.

Shikamaru turned away.

"Since when did I give you a key?"

"I took your spare." She said.

"My spare key is in my dresser." Shikamaru said.

He remembered putting in there to keep her from coming in again. It was during the time when the setting had changed. He had been confused and didn't want anyone bothering him in his search, whether if it were the dreams will or his own, he didn't know. "Did you pick my lock Temari?"

He felt something metal touch his neck. That meant she didn't break in, not today at least. Temari wasn't one for lying, she liked being straightforward, that was how she was. "Shika," she asked, "What are you doing?"

His fingers had begun tracing her forearm, which was lying beside his pillow. Every time she came close, that was all he did. It was as though it were his instinct. The flesh was warm and smooth like silk. It was addicting.

"Stop," Temari hissed. She pulled away from him.

"You're making a big deal out of nothing." He said sighing.

"I'm the one that has to live with it."

He apologized although he had no idea why he did.

The other thing about Temari was that if she didn't want something there was no getting through to her. She was stubborn. They both were. That was why it took him so long to make a conjecture. That was why it was so hard to think about their relationship. It was like a puzzle with them, yet on the surface, it was so simple. Their relationship was a contradiction of sorts.

"Do you want some gelatin?" Shikamaru asked willing his feet the floor.

"You're having gelatin in the morning," Temari laughed, "What will your mother say?"

"The same thing she said when the power went out in our house: 'a cold breakfast is better than no breakfast at all'."

"I think there is a power shortage in the whole city." Temari said. He could hear the creaking of the bedsprings.

"We have a good half hour," Shikamaru said.

"How do you know?"

He didn't know.

He watched as Temari went toward the window. Ice crystals sprinkled across the glass, leaving it moist and cool. Strips of sun were coming up to greet them. Konoha was still and white. The sun highlighted her face. Her usual insipid spikes turned into an orange shade. She was gleaming. Looking down at her body, he saw a black silhouette hugging her body. Instead of going home, she came to his place.

He could smell the luxury on her clothing. Shikamaru inched toward her, slowly taking her in.

Shikamaru was too close to her and he knew it.

"Happy Anniversary," they said in union.

Shikamaru woke up to the sound of a bell.

He yawned and looked at his papers. He didn't get a lot done, but he'd have to work with what he had. If he were lucky, he might be able to do it tonight. Shikamaru yawned again, or maybe he would just get some more shuteye and finish whenever. The boy looked around at the abandoned clubroom. "This isn't at all how I remembered it." He blinked and shook his head closing the door.

"Shikamaru, where have you been school's almost over." He looked to his side to see Chouji carrying some textbooks. He must've been doing an errand. "I was in the old music room."

"Oh yeah, I heard from Naruto you're starting a club, what's all that about?"

Shikamaru shrugged, "So how long is it until it's time to get home."

"The last time I checked it was a half hour." Chouji replied.

He slept for over two hours.

"Your teachers are probably writing you up for cutting."

"Not if I say I had club duties to perform."

"Smart move," said Chouji.

"I'll see you in fifteen, okay," Shikamaru said.

"Yeah fifteen; try not to get written up!"

What should he call today?

Should he still call it their anniversary?

How could he call it that when he wasn't sure exactly what kind of anniversary it was? There were things he didn't know regarding or things he didn't wish to remember or connect.

How could he call it that when he and Temari weren't together and not even close to the age in his dreams? He felt a glare on his back. Shikamaru sighed, "What a drag."

He might as well call it their unanniversary.

Thank you for all the support!


	12. Chapter 11: The snotnossed bribe

Chapter 11

**Say you love him**

"I dislike him." I said to the mirror. I took down my ponytail. My reflection lacked color. It lacked voice. All the same, my words were true. The bath water was hot, fogging up the bathroom mirror. I puckered my lips to clean the thick coat of lip-gloss on my lips. No longer would I risk my neck. I rubbed my scars. My longing for home was growing every day. The long hot days of Suna, the smell of sun, it was still there. My walk still held a foreigner's step. I didn't belong. I'd be damned if I ever belonged.

I turned off the water and went into the tub. I sunk deep into the steamy water, trying to block out the crashing. My younger brother was having a tantrum. I sunk further when I heard his cry. Was it wrong to dislike that kind of brother? I once told it to his face. He was five. I was eight. A part of me felt bad (some small part of me). I can still picture that sad droopy face of his. Gaara had always been unstable, as long as I could remember. No psychobabble was going to change that.

I heard Maya's voice above his yelling. She was probably telling him to shut up.

Not that it would change anything.

The only way any of us could get him to quiet down was to call our father. None of us wanted to do that. Maya admired him and used his name to get us to follow her lead. She did that as our nanny too. Yet at the same time, Maya was afraid of him. Respect, fear, concern, discipline, led to home. That's what father taught all three of us. In some people's eyes, he lacked the fraction of concern in his equation. But to us whatever acknowledgement he gave was enough. Whether if it was playing ball with Kankuro, scrap booking with me, or attending therapist sessions with Gaara, dad showed us some form of love.

Love.

Was our rare time together love?

Suddenly Gaara screamed. Was he having another nightmare? He never was vocal unless that was the case.

Was he okay?

Was Kankuro going to check on him?

I hoped Kankuro would be okay.

Gaara fought in his dreams. He didn't wake up fast either.

I sunk further.

Why did the three of us have to live together?

What had father been thinking?

_Dream world, 3:20pm, Nara Shikamaru_

"Are you okay Shika-baby?" The woman cooed. Shikamaru grunted and rubbed his fingers through his hair. He was certain. She had broken in. The man (preferably boy) could only imagine his appearance. He put his head off the table. White papers were scattered around his signature on them from corner to corner. The neon lights of the city came into his kitchen.

Temari had a spoon sticking out of her mouth. She sat down across from him. A brown mug wrapped in her slim fingers. She seemed slightly amused by his face.

The woman's eyes softened when he yawned.

"Don't you have a home to go to?"

"You were working all night?" She disregarded his question.

"Yeah," he scratched his head.

Dark green eyes sparkled like the sea. Plump red mouth formed into that infamous smirk like smile. That hair was put into four small ponytails. Her fingernails, polished, tapped against the brown mug. It looked so foreign, but so right.

The same went for him.

He was almost his father's replica. His features were softer, nothing rugged about him. He was baby-smooth, no stubble had formed. Shikamaru was still too far away. That aged glow, how he wanted it. Then she'd stop calling him 'baby'.

She was always like that.

When did she even get the idea to call him that?

He groaned.

Did he even want to know?

"Are you okay?" The woman touched his forehead. "Do you have an ache anywhere?"

He groaned again.

Sometimes, she would be unexpectedly caring. She touched his chin allowing him access to her eyes. She looked into his pools.

They eyes went soft. They dimmed only slightly.

"Temari."

"That's what you get for sleeping on the table."

Her finger left his chin.

If it weren't for that….

If it weren't for that….

He wouldn't have ever known…

_Temari, age 17, Konoha High; Science class, Kabuto_

The girl sighed. She could only pay some attention to her schoolwork. Kabuto had given them a three-page class assignment to complete. She had only finished half a page. It was twenty minutes in class. It wasn't a hard assignment, it was just wordy. She found her herself getting easily distracted by everyone around her. Ino was texting away; her fingers were hitting the keys like bullets. Her eyes were focused on the screen of her cell phone. From the collage of hearts and smiley-faces, Temari conjectured that it was her boyfriend.

Today Ino wore an orange mini skirt, and a sunset dyed jacket. She had small hoops in her ears. Was everyone in Konoha colorful? It seemed that everyone that came here became colorful too. Kankuro began wearing lighter shades of purple and flashy green. Ino was hysterical. Temari sighed inwardly. That was her brother. If she hadn't told Ino that, he would've been dissed sickly, by every message board in the area. She was playing bodyguard again. Temari had painted a sweet smile of perfection on her lips when encountering every problem.

The problem at the moment seemed to be Karin.

Karin was looking at her; not in the "I'm curious" sort of way but in the "I'm going to trash you" way. Earlier she had been looking at Sasuke, gawking at his every move. She was a dog in heat. Then she moved toward Sasuke, blew in his ear, and for some reason backed off completely. She acted as if she were dying from the lack of attention. Then she shot daggers her way. At first, she thought it was Ino. Karin and Ino were butting heads the beginning of class. So the possibility of that was high. However, when she went to get the assignment from the table, she found Karin had been watching her every move.

Temari twitched. She so wanted to pound her face in.

She didn't even do anything to her!

Temari looked over the girl's way. Her lips were moving. She was mouthing words. Temari squinted. What was she saying? What language was she trying to copy? She recognized it. She had seen it somewhere before. Peach? Beach? Bite?

Oh…

Temari just couldn't let it go.

She had to **do **something!

She tried to cool down, her temperament was going wild. She hadn't felt that fired up since she had left Suna. She wasn't in Suna, so she couldn't let out her sun-spicy rage! She was in Konoha. So she was nice, sweet, a little on the ditzy side. She didn't attract much attention since she slipped into Naruto's Lunch Groupies List.

She couldn't just loose face!

Temari had to back at her.

Temari turned her head and saw Ino looking at her weirdly.

Then Temari had the perfect idea.

If she couldn't pound her…

Maybe someone else would…

"Ino?" Temari asked looking innocent.

"Uh…yeah," The blonde-haired woman asked.

"What does 'bitch' mean?"

"What?"

"I know I heard it somewhere before," Temari said sighing, "But I can't remember."

"Why are you asking this?"

"Well…that's what Karin's been mouthing since she sat down."

Ino was a faster conclusion jumper than she was a texter.

Ino's face when beet red as she saw Karin's mouth moving.

That began the war. Ino's mouth was flying, so was Karin's. Their silent words were like daggers. Temari looked at both of them. They were mouthing every English curse word known to them. They even did a few vulgar gestures. She knew them all. With everything seeming right, Temari completed her work just a second before the bell rang.

_Nara Shikamaru, lunch_

His head was hurting.

Snot ran down his nose.

He took a napkin before the germ intolerant Kiba commented.

When he looked in the mirror this morning, his eyes were puffy. He could only imagine what he looked at the moment. Water dripped from his sockets, touching the booger-infested napkin. He could barely stomach his lunch. Getting in line took so much energy. Chouji had offered to walk him to the nurse, but he had foolishly declined.

He hung in there for only one reason.

He dumped the napkin in the trash. His nose was hurting. Napkins weren't the best choice, they were too rough. He went to the cashier. That woman always carried some, she was happy to offer others some too even though she was always healthy as a horse. "Thank you." He mumbled. His throat was killing him. His hand was filled with about thirty clean tissues.

Shikamaru walked tiredly to his table. He couldn't remember the last time he got sick.

Did he _ever _get sick before?

Shikamaru tried his best to remember, but couldn't.

There was very few of them at the table. Tenten had gone for an archery exam. They didn't even know she took archery. Hinata had gone to Library, cramming for a history test. Neji said her father threatened her. Of course, Neji wasn't going to stay around. He didn't like any of them anyway and his job was to guard Hinata. Lee and Naruto were arguing about Sakura. Sakura was with the fan girl table. Of course, Sasuke was here checking over his student council duties.

He seemed a bit teethed off with him.

Shikamaru couldn't blame him.

A slacker like him dared to challenge the all mighty Uchiha Sasuke.

The fan girls were going to attack him, but they liked seeing what Ino called Sasuke's "wounded puppy look". Moreover, Sakura was being lucid for a while.

"Hi guys."

Here comes Ms. Cheap.

That's her official nickname, Shikamaru decided.

She smiled for absolutely nothing!

He coughed.

"Temari!" Naruto exclaimed. "What took you so long-

"Temari chan you changed your hair!"

Naruto blinked. Leave it to Lee to recognize a change in hairstyle.

Shikamaru looked over.

Her hair was down.

Big. Deal.

Shikamaru blinked. His eyes were really watery.

Chouji looked over at him with concern.

He inhaled.

The Temari in his dreams never had her hair down.

"Are you going to join?"

"Join what?" The girl's face was plagued by pure confusion.

Shikamaru slumped further. His head almost hit the table.

He risked his health to get an answer from this girl. He was grounded by his mom for this girl, a girl that had forgotten everything. Was he a mere afterthought? He was beginning to get annoyed by this M. Temari.

"Are you going to join the club?"

"Oh that." Temari pushed her food around. "No."

"Why?" Naruto yelled. "I thought we were going to be in this together. The teme got all pissed at me for no reason!" He put an accusing finger in the Uchiha's face. "Everybody is laughing at me because of our simple name: The Geography club! That's the stupid name Shikamaru gave us! We're going to be targeted believe it!"

"Nobody is making fun of you Naruto." Kiba said. "It's in your imagination."

Kiba was taking notes. Apparently, he was still trying to finish his English project.

"Isn't that a reason for me not to join?" Temari asked.

Shikamaru groaned. Sasuke was smirking. He was in the Grinch version of candy land.

"Besides, my mom probably wouldn't even let me go." She said sighing.

"What's your address?" Naruto asked. "I will go there and beg your mother. If I'm going to be dragged into the dirt by that corny name, I'm dragging someone with me."

"Naruto," Temari said smiling, "My mother hates ramen."

"She's another Sasuke?" Naruto asked dumbfounded.

Temari stifled a laugh.

"Well if Sasuke can be reasoned with, I'm sure your mother can." Chouji said as he munched on his food. Naruto grinned at the plump boy.

Conspiracy.

Nice.

Naruto was just making up lame excuses to get someone to join. Chouji was just being his friend. They were both doing this because they wanted to do something for him. He expected that from Chouji, but not Naruto. Then again, Naruto was unpredictable.

Even with their combined persuasion power, if it were the Temari he knew she wouldn't give in. Even the Temari he was looking at wouldn't. She'd weasel out of it any way that she could. If that glare yesterday were meant for him, it'd be a bloody battle.

After a few minutes, it came to the point where Chouji had given up and Naruto was begging.

Shikamaru groaned again. He really didn't want to talk. Temari was turning him down politely. That didn't sit well with him.

"It's too bad really." Shikamaru started. His voice sounded awful even to his own ears.

The girl looked at him. She wasn't happy.

"I went through all that trouble."

"I never asked you to."

"It's a nice club about Geography. We might even get to go on school trips, trips to far away places."

"Kids have television and the internet they don't need trips."

Sasuke was having fun.

"Far away places like Suna."

Temari's face went blank.

"It'll be hard work, but it'd be nice if we could go there."

She was listening.

"There are also a few perks. But I guess we'll never get to use them." Shikamaru put his head down.

"What kind of perks?"

"You get a free pass from class!" Naruto yelled.

"You get to be part of the annual festival." Lee said.

"You also get to raid at the Student Council's mini fridge-of course only when there are meetings. You might get a special Jell-O surprise." Shikamaru said dully.

"How did you-

"That's only if you join. There is so much more, of course it's only done my hard work."

"That does sound nice." Temari said. "But I don't know if my brothers will go for it."

"If you really wanted it, you'd figure out a way. I mean not everyone gets to join a club. There is a fifteen member limit, if you're not on a sports team." Shikamaru said. His throat was too sore. He couldn't go on.

There was nothing else he could do.

His mind was slipping.

_Temari, nurse's office_

"Is he going to be alright?" I asked.

His face was burning. I could still feel it on my fingers.

I had forgotten all about him. What his name was. How his hair looked. That sickly face will never leave my mind. Why had he come to school? He was so sick he passed out on the lunch table. He hadn't eaten a bite of lunch.

He was so sick looking.

Bags formed under his eyes.

"Don't worry about it. After a couple of days of rest, he'll be okay." The nurse assured me. She assured me as if I was a relative or a concerned friend. I wasn't any of those things. Maybe on the surface I passed off as one. I looked over a Chouji. He was the real friend. Naruto and he had carried him all the way here. Naruto complained, but Chouji hadn't said a word. I just walked behind him, dragged along by that face.

Naruto left saying he'd tell the teacher.

"Why did he come to school?" I found myself asking it aloud.

Chouji looked at me. His eyes were never opened fully, but they bore into me. I felt a pressure on my back. My voice was gone. I put a hand to my throat.

"Club reasons." Chouji said.

I blinked. That wasn't a good enough reason.

"That's what he would say if you asked him." Chouji explained. "But that doesn't make it the truth."

Chouji looked like he could eat me at that moment. Just tear me limb by limb, without any remorse. He looked back at Shikamaru and sighed. "I didn't finish my lunch."

He walked out without saying a word.

That's a friendship I couldn't understand.

"Temari…"

I looked over at the bed. His eyes opened.

Had he only been pretending?

"I'm not going to beg you."

He turned away from me.

"I don't like you. I'm not stalking you. I'm just interested in you."

I smiled weakly. "I'm a bit happy to hear that."

"No you're not. You're freaked out."

My smile dropped.

"I really don't like you." He coughed.

He was right. I was freaked out, but exactly how much seemed to grow.

He knew too much.

"If I join, you have to tell me everything you know."

"About what?"

"You know what."

He sneezed this time. "You're right."

That was really creepy. I had expected him to deny it.

"I'll tell you at the end of the year."

"What?"

"I'll tell you at the end of the year, if you join."

"Okay."

"You and your bothers."

"Okay." My mind was made. There was no turning back. Either he was a psychologist or there had been a massive leak of information, a leak that traveled all the way to Konoha. I looked at his sickly figure and I felt even more compelled. What was so important that he would put his wellbeing on the line? His nose was cherry red. That was an awful shade.

He seemed as hot as Suna. I could feel him though I was two feet away. His face looked so sickly, but he was still as emotionless as ever. I didn't like him either. I was determined to find out his motive. I couldn't back down. My eyes went on his watery ones. He probably wanted to rest so badly. His reasoning and mine were the same.

I was about to walk out of there when I heard his hoarse voice, so hoarse that I asked him to repeat what he said.

"You'll have to work."

I smiled. "Of course."

He groaned.

His whisper was hoarse too.

"You hate me."

"Of course." I let it slip out.

"Even if you hate me, could you put your hair back up?"

I twitched.

He knew **that **too?

I walked out.

00000000000

Doss' Corner

Yay! Hi everyone!

See I knew I'd get this done!

This chapter, like all chapters, was really fun to do.

I'd like to point out a few things.

Temari might seem a bit manipulative-well she is-, but she used it for evil purposes. I know….I wanted to get it across that Temari isn't really that nice. If she hates you, she hates you. Karin and her didn't have any interaction, but there are just some people that you just don't like. Why Karin was so angry, you'll have to find out.

Sasuke was a bit TOO happy. It was almost scary to right that part!

Naruto and Chouji had talked about this while Shikamaru was zoned out. He was really sick, poor fello. Temari and Shikamaru REALLY don't like one another. Shikamaru might like dream Temari, but that doesn't mean he'd like this one.

The bit with Gaara in it…well let's just say have you seen the flashbacks of their family in the series. Temari and Kankuro looked really mean! Temari was probably mean back then when Gaara was still in his early stages of craziness. I love almost all Naruto characters, I say almost because Orochimaru (later Kabuto) really got on my nerves. Sickos. I love everyone else that includes Gaara. I admit I was fond of Gaara when he was first introduced, but in that flashback he grew on me.

Temari harbors mixed feelings for her family. Some of it is hypocrisy and blindness. That part up there in the beginning with her describing family-TOTAL CLUE to this.

There is so much more I want to say, but I won't. It'll just take up too much room.

LOL

Anyway thanks for reading

REVIEW

Please read profile for more information 


	13. Chapter 12: The snotnossed bribe part 2

**Say You Love Him**

**Chapter 12**

Shikamaru winced. His tender throat rejected the tart concoction. He rested the mug on his nightstand then pulled the quilt over his face. Shikamaru couldn't remember the last time he had been ill. He had slept the whole day away. Crickets strummed their legs and played their nighttime lullaby. The noise around quieted and let the insects' song echo in the emptiness.

Spring was setting in. It soothed his frigid mind. He sniffed again and tightened his grip on the quilt. The quilt was a brownish red and composed of several geometric shapes. It was thick, a bit lumpy, and smelled fresh out of the wash. It was obviously his mother's doing. Yoshino had come to check up on him at least one hundred times. She brought water, wet rags, and unearthly medicines. Every time he woke up, there was something new on his nightstand or his face. The hallway lights were on. Weak eyes shut and he turned his body to the opposite direction.

The boy couldn't recall ever being afraid of the darkness. As a child, Shikamaru didn't have a nightlight. In his mother's fear, she kept his bedroom door always open. The door was slight torn off its hedges to prevent it from closing. Perhaps his mother has psychological issues she had yet to explore. However, his intelligence kept him from speaking his mind. He covered his mouth as he let out a coarse cough. It shook his diaphragm.

He didn't know how he became sick. None of his peers was ill nor had he exposed himself to germy areas. As a matter a fact, he was feeling as fit as a fiddle until he had woken up from his dream…

It couldn't be.

He wouldn't allow that possibility to arise.

Shikamaru groaned realizing he unleashed another taboo on his psyche. He tried to keep his logic intact. There wasn't any real proof, he reminded himself. Then again, if that wasn't true, that meant he was already insane.

What truth is there in insanity?

Why was he still pushing himself to the limit?

Shikamaru braced himself for a sneeze. It was his worst yet.

_**M. Household 5:30pm**_

Suna's smell was still there.

It still lingered on her shirt. She nuzzled it and brought her nose to the collar where the smell was strongest.

It smelled of summer. Temari didn't care if anyone thought she flipped her lid. Sunlight was on the blue garment and she would absorb all of it.

Temari gave a sigh of relief as she played with her fan.

She opened it. It had perfect creases. Although it was paper, she had always considered it her fighting fan. The grip was a nice metal it was painted violet. When she was ten, one of her father's lackeys had taken her on a stroll of the town. She had been cooped up all day and had a lot of energy to burn.

The lackey explained that since it was her birthday, she could get any present she wanted. Temari was sad and asked why her father hadn't come for her birthday. The lackey said it was because her father was simply…too busy. She threw the worst tantrum any child could. Temari didn't want to think about that anymore and fast-forwarded her thought process.

She had exclaimed that she wanted the most expensive toy in all of creation.

Temari laughed at the memory. She remembered cursing her father and saying that she wished he'd go bankrupt. That was when she saw it. It was in a small rundown store across from the makeshift baseball field. She ran to it. If she remembered correctly, the cost was almost equivalent to a drink from a vending machine.

Since that day, she never wished her father were around ever again.

Temari brushed the fan softly. It had been seven years since that day.

The harpy's voice echoed snapping Temari into reality.

"Dinner is ready!" Temari lifted herself from the floor. She put her fan to her lips. A smile crept as the metal chilled flesh. Carefully, Temari wrapped it in a silky orange cloth then tucked it away in a wooden box beside her laptop. She ran to living room to find Maya not eating but conversing on the phone. She went to dining to find that it was dolled up.

Why couldn't they have an ordinary dinner for once?

Each plate had its own delectable meal. Temari ate her meal without hesitation. It was better than having microwave eggs for supper. Temari's plate had chicken and fried rice. The chicken had a hint of lemon on its skin and the meat was tender and a tad sweet. The rice glistened and its vegetables were also juicy. Being as rich as she was, she never had anything so good in her life. She hated to admit it, but she owed it all to Maya.

Her siblings were currently enjoying their own meals. The meal was so good she almost forgot to inform them. Temari looked up from her plate.

A lump caught in her throat.

Could she even ask them? Conveniently, Maya was in the living room talking to an anonymous caller. That left the siblings to bask unwillingly in each other's presence.

Convincing Kankuro wouldn't be so bad. However, Gaara…that was another matter entirely. How was she going to go about it?

"So how was school lately?" Temari asked. She gave an awkward smile. She put her utensils down.

"What's the matter?" Kankuro asked drinking from his glass.

"What do you mean?" Temari asked.

"The last time you asked us 'How was school lately' you had a concussion."

"So I have to be concussed to ask my brothers, my brothers by blood, how their day was?"

"Yes," Kankuro said quite seriously. "Since when did you say we were related by blood? You always swore we were adopted."

No, she had said Kankuro was adopted and Gaara was left by aliens. "Really, what's going on here Temari?"

She sighed. "It seems I have made a blunder."

"What kind of blunder?" Kankuro asked.

"There is this club," Temari began, "Apparently we are now on their recruit list."

"We are on a recruit list?" Kankuro asked. To say it was a shocker would be an understatement. The three of them have never been recruited for any school activities. It was obvious as to why.

"Why is it your fault?" Kankuro asked.

Something profound within triggered with that one sentence. Keep it classified, greed whispered on her conscience. No other soul must be alerted. Burdens were to be on her head. It was her obligation. The seventeen year old couldn't afford to waver. She counteracted greed with faulty logic.

That transmissible mechanism, one passed from parent to offspring, beat as though fusing with her heart. She had felt it once before, but she couldn't remember where. The feeling seemed to shoot up from her veins.

The mechanism was a combination of responsibility and greed.

It was something that defied integrity.

It was in her nature and she wouldn't fight it.

"I was the one who signed us up," She lied. She bent her head down in slight shame. The shame wasn't enough to keep her from lying.

"It's a really good club." Temari said as she moved to her fork.

"It must've been if you were going to risk your neck to get us in," Kankuro said, "Exactly why did you get us in with you?" Gaara looked up at Temari.

"If I went everyone would have to." Temari said blandly.

"What's the club about?" Kankuro asked.

"The world," she said, "It's about traveling."

"Do you actually get to go anywhere? I heard that the school isn't really big on trips. Apparently, clubs are their main priority."

"Yeah. It's a newly made club I doubt you heard of it-

"The Geography club?" Gaara asked.

Temari turned to him. 'He speaks!'

"Geography club? I never heard of such a club. What a stupid name."

Temari ignored him. "Where did you hear that from Gaara?" She asked trying to sound sweet and caring.

"Someone came up to me at lunch. They had a bowl cut. All they did was talk about useless things. I was going to send him away, but he said he knew _you, _Temari." Not only could Gaara speak, but also he could put emphasis on words!

Temari froze afraid she had been caught in her lie. "He also mentioned something about Shikamaru and a Sasuke person."

"Shikamaru…that was our tour guide wasn't it? Also isn't he the person you want to eat? Why would you join a club that has anything to do with him?" Kankuro asked.

"Yes, Kankuro you are right. Shikamaru is also the founder of the Geography club. As to why I want to join, there are certain benefits that can only be claimed if one is in a club." Temari replied lowering her voice. Maya was wrapping up her conversation. She tried to regain control.

"You mentioned something about traveling. Do you mean we could go back to Suna?"

Temari nodded. That was all it took to win Kankuro over. She looked at Gaara. Gaara was his own possession. Gaara wrapped himself up in a world of self-pity, anguish, and above all the deep loathing for other entities. Temari looked up as an idea surfaced.

"Gaara, do you love me?"

"No."

"Gaara, do you love Kankuro."

"No."

"Gaara, do you love father?"

"I love no one." Gaara hissed. She was treading on dangerous territory.

"There is one person that you love Gaara."

She faced him. She bit her lip. "You l-l-love m-m" Temari tried hard to not choke on her words.

Kankuro's eyed widened. She couldn't say it after all. Even she wasn't that cruel. She wouldn't use her brother's damaged psyche as a tool. Even if she were that man's child, she still would never do it!

_Your mother loved you enough to give birth to you! Why are you so defiant? _Temari shivered.

"I'll give you one of her old lullabies if you go along with what I say."

Maya hung up the phone. She prayed the woman's trained ear hadn't caught the conspiracy.

Together, for their own reasons, the siblings tried their hardest to convince the woman.

0000000

Doss' Corner

Since this is fanfiction and not an original story, I can make constant author notes!

I finally updated! Yes, Yes! I'm so sorry I was so busy then I didn't have a computer for almost a month. I tried my hardest with this chapter. I'm hoping to get back in the grove. I think I'll post three chapters instead of the two I had originally promised with it being my winter break and all.

There are bound to be some mistakes. I hope that they are minor.

Okay let's talk about the story itself!

Shikamaru is still questioning his sanity while digging for answers. If I made him just accept the whole thing, it would be a real killer to my plot.

Hm. The transmissible mechanism…

I doubt anyone will get this, but I don't want to clarify it now.

I guess I'll just leave you guys with this. When I wrote the word transmissible, I meant it in that it can be passed down. Transmissible mechanism is weird isn't it? I was going to put transmissible device, but…yeah that sounds better, but the context I used was to make whatever 'it' was to be something complex. The world device didn't really make it sound all that complicated. It was a bit rough to write that part. Being blunt isn't really my dig, you know.

I made their dad a bad guy didn't I? Since this is AU and supposed to be 'sort of' normal, I didn't want to make him too bad. Seriously, who tries to make their son into a weapon? That's villainous. There are certain exceptions (Naruto's case…as tragic as the effects were) but he isn't one of them. As for making Temari evil…again…I wanted to show her intelligence…mostly. Also about her mimicking her dad (that was a major hint to something already mentioned) I just wanted to show the powerful impact their dad left on them. I mean even though in the series we don't know their exact relationship with him, he was their father. He was the only tie all three of them had.

There wasn't really much she could bribe Gaara with.

I hope I didn't epically fail with this one.

Review-Review!

Please Review! Reviews give me strength. I promise the next chapter will be much better!


	14. Chapter 13: You're just like the ocean

Disclaimer~ I do not own Naruto. Who knew? *looks at pockets* I sure did.

Thanks to: Corentin, the girl in your closet, LibiTheWolf, ylfrettub, Asmire, and Sosoft.

Really, you people gave me some major courage. Last chapter was a bland continuation, I'm sorry if it was disappointing. I hope that this chapter and the next will be better.

_**Say you love him**_

Chapter 13

Tresses, smooth like honey, draped over the woman's bony shoulder. Those lipstick-coated lips went into a frown. Casually, she sat amongst them. The woman wore nothing but pajamas. There were pink dinosaurs everywhere. She yawned. The conversation had seemingly left her dry. Although, she wore the most childish sleepwear, Temari acknowledge the superior ranking Maya possessed.

With a snap of her finger, it could all be however.

"How was your day?" Surprisingly, Maya initiated the conversation.

"Oh, my day was good."

Maya turned toward Temari. Maya had known Temari for over a decade. Never had she admitted to have a 'good' day. Temari realized she had messed up, but considered her mistake a good one. She had captivated the woman's attention.

"It was a really shocking day. The three of us were recruited for a club."

Words can't convey everything.

No word or phrase could express the magnitude of the situation.

"So you three were recruited for a club, eh?" Maya's tone was pert and firm. "Yes," Temari responded.

"I don't believe you." The woman hissed. "I can't fathom someone wanting you three in their club."

"I didn't believe them when they asked." Temari said. "It was really sudden."

Like the little spy she was, she profiled the establishment. "It's called the 'Geography Club'. It's a pretty simple club and has hardly any members. It was started only recently. Most of the club activities include researching everything about the world by human or physical characteristics. They'll have trips and everything. They said it would be very fun."

"Geography club? Deviants like you three thrive on the extraordinary. How did a plain sounding name manage to attract your attention to begin with?"

Temari sweatdropped. She knew she came off a bit strong. Maya eyed the three curiously. It was no wonder why Baki liked her so much. Highly perceptive, Temari mentally applauded the woman. "It just seemed fun. Kankuro seemed really interested."

"Yeah, it seems okay. I mean I'm not into the learning thing, but I like the trip idea." Kankuro tried his best to make his story sound believable. Temari hoped the woman was too far gone to see the conspiracy going on around her.

Maya tilted her head toward Temari. A smirk came onto her lips. She had figured them out.

The mask she wore was one of sugariness. Every lined detail, from the brown to the chin, gave everyone the impression that she was indeed sweet as sugar. Temari hated the various masks the woman wore. Sour wasn't made to hide behind sweet. Everything the woman wore hindered the bitter passion underneath. She overlooked the hypocrisy. "Joining a club is extremely profitable. For example, one gains entrance to the student council which Sasuke Uchiha is head of."

Bitter passion was what running through Temari's veins. Maya gazed at her quizzically. She wanted answers to all of her unsaid questions. That was not reasonable. Temari wanted to keep all her secrets for herself. She wouldn't allow the greedier of the two to have them. "As you know the student council is connected to the main office which holds all the school's affairs."

"You know you can't join. Why are you even bothering telling me?"

"I think it would be beneficial, more importantly fun." Temari said. "We'd be able to get out your hair easy if we had something to entertain us."

"You say 'us' but don't you really mean you and Kankuro?" Maya asked. "Even if I did want you do go, you'd only be able to if all three of you went."

"All three of us do want to go," Kankuro assured her. Maya looked at Gaara who offered no objection. She quickly looked away.

Temari could only guess what was going on her head. There was probably a bit parade going on in the woman's brain. Temari knew _she_ wouldn't be one to decline such a juicy offer. If she had to chance to rid of a burden, she'd do it by any means necessary.

"What are you concocting Temari?" There was no word that could properly describe her tone.

"I'm not concocting anything!" Temari yelled. "I just really want to go!"

"Why? Why would you three suddenly agree on this? Do you think I'm stupid?"

"No one said you were stupid." Kankuro mumbled.

"Shut up!" Maya banged her hand on the table. Gaara's eyes snapped open. He peered her way and apprehension emerged on the woman's face. "Look me straight in the eye and tell me you aren't planning anything." Maya's voice broke into a choked whisper.

Temari gathered herself and peered into the woman's orbs. "I am not planning anything." Her voice was bland and so was her expression. Maya looked startled for a mere second then gathered her composure. Before the woman could dismiss her, she dug further. "I just want the chance to visit Suna. Even for a mere second, I just want to see it."

That was not a lie.

Green orbs held Maya's strong and thin face in her eyes. Gaara was watching.

Maya looked away from them.

Temari and Kankuro looked at one another. They sighed in union.

They were victorious.

That was what Temari dared to think.

"Uchiha Sasuke huh?"

The words triggered a detached, gloomy memory. It was no wonder she had stared at him in class. His name sunk further into her conscious. The tables were turned. Those apple green orbs looked down again, mesmerized.

**Nara Shikamaru 7:30am **

The sand underneath rubber soles crunched and the sun's harsh glow stretched for miles. Across the way were the enchanted waters, a vast ocean that was a threshold to a warped reality. It was a reality that was supposedly created subliminally by him.

He was in the dividing line of reality and dream. As long as he was in the dividing line, he would remain comfortable. As long as he didn't touch the water or the sand didn't sneak up on him, he remained safe.

Shikamaru yawned. He hadn't remembered falling asleep. He peered up at the blue sky. He blinked. It looked familiar. Since he was eleven, the sky had never stayed in one formation for long. It was always flowing yet forever stuck in a predictable pattern. For a sky that brought no weather, it was quite fascinating. Furthermore, it was beautiful. Nowhere else would he be able to witness such a magnificent sky.

He stared longer and realized where he had seen it before.

"It's from the painting," Shikamaru whispered.

It was from the painting Dream Temari had given him. He inhaled the sweet hot air. He knew he was nearing the ocean. The ocean wasn't like the sky. It was unpredictable. Sometimes it was salty. It might even be bitter. It could even be sweet.

Even without him walking, the world seemed to push him forward. The sand encompassed him, stealing his breath away. Violently he was pushed frontward and hoisted across the land. His feet no longer touched the ground.

He was flying. However, he paid no attention to that fact. His throat became raw once again. His face became impaled. The limbo between reality and dream vanished.

Without warning, the sand withdrew. Instantly, he felt gravity pulling him down. Instead of screaming, he coughed nonstop.

The boy plummeted into the salty ocean.

He opened his eyes. A mountain of cover was piled on him. Quilts and comforters of all kinds were put slovenly on the bed. He coughed again. His body shook as he did so.

The room was dark and warm, eerily so. Silence engulfed the room. Shikamaru blinked taking in his surroundings. It was clear he was in his room. Cold digits brushed his temple. Gingerly they went about without a care in the world. Shikamaru didn't reject the cool touch. It didn't take him long to realize who brought it. The perfume had given her away.

"Temari." He croaked. A cold hand caressed his face. He dipped into the palm thankful for the chill.

"So you're finally wake huh?" She was beside him sitting on the covers. Her legs were drawn to her chest. She withdrew her hand. Shikamaru sat up and gazed at the woman tiredly. "You have a high fever. I wouldn't get up if I were you." He ignored her and sniffled. "What did I do to get this sick?"

"You slept on the table all morning." Temari suggested grinning.

"That wouldn't be enough to get me sick."

"You don't button yourself up well enough. You get all cocky and before you know it you have a cold."

"I don't need a lecture. I already have a mother for that." Shikamaru sat as he peeled some covers off him. It really was warm. He coughed again. Instantly, Temari was at his side with a mug. He sniffed it then brought it to his lips. The taste wasn't half-bad.

"Well your mom isn't here to take care of you is she?" Temari said as she crossed her arms.

"Lemon and honey?" Shikamaru asked. "I don't have any of that in my house."

"Yeah I carry it with me in case I get sick." Temari explained as he tossed him the box. His reflexes were good and he caught it with his free hand. "It's really good. You'll be feeling better in no time."

The box was labeled "Sweet tea" on the back it gave a large list of all the nutrients. Some of them he hadn't even heard of. All that mattered to him was that it tasted okay. It was better than what his mother was making in reality. The stuff Yoshino made tasted half like shrimp and half like citrus. He couldn't quite explain it. Reality was stranger than fiction.

Time had passed, but she still looked ravishing. She had taken her hair down. The black dress hugged her as well as he remembered. The woman had brought her hair down. A tired smile played on her lips. He looked at his alarm clock. It was six at night. "Your work called. They said that some areas up north still didn't have their power. That was about around two so they might've gotten it by now."

"They got it around four-thirty I think." Shikamaru said as he sipped his tea. He was thankful his throat wasn't as soar.

Temari eyed him. "How do you know these things?"

"Huh? Oh, we had a blackout here before. I just estimated the time." Shikamaru said as he sipped the tea. "You stated it like it was a fact though." She was getting suspicious. "You're not psychic are you?"

Shikamaru didn't look at her. Temari laughed. "Yeah right you being psychic. That's a good one."

"What's so funny?"

"You're a cynic when it comes to anything 'supernatural'. I remember one time you lectured a little kid on Santa Clause."

"What kid in Konoha believes in Santa Clause anyway?"

"That's exactly what you said to his mother. You were really having a bad day. You know…since _that _happened." Temari avoided his gaze. Shikamaru didn't make the connection. He noticed Temari's awkwardness. "I'm sorry."

"There's no need." He said.

There wasn't a need for what? Shikamaru rubbed his fingers through his hair. "Why is my hair wet?"

"I gave you a bath." Temari said.

"You gave a sick person a bath?" Shikamaru asked. He groaned. It was no wonder why he was feeling so horrible. It was all her fault. Shikamaru raised a brow at his own accusation. He was too sick to think properly.

Temari looked away as though she was stifling a laugh. He couldn't imagine what she found so amusing.

"So you threw me in water with my clothes o-

He looked down at himself. He didn't remember wearing them before. It was true he hadn't dreamed in a while, but his memory never failed him. He blushed furiously.

"What's the matter with you?" Temari asked.

"You undressed me." He pointed an accusing finger in her face lazily.

"I did not!" She yelled.

"How else could I have ended up in these clothes?"

Temari sighed. "You dressed yourself. After I threw you in, you just woke right up and dried yourself off. You picked out your clothes by yourself too."

Shikamaru looked over at her skeptically.

"Don't regard me so suspiciously."

"You're the one that comes and sneaks into my house at night."

"I told you I have a spare key!"

"Sure you do."

It was actually quite possible. No, not about the spare key that was a complete lie.

There were times when time would leap forward and he had no awareness of it. For example, he had no awareness of ever meeting Temari before two years ago. Before then, he had dreamed he was prepping for a college exam. Whatever happened between then and two years ago was non-existent in his mind. Not only were there questions he wasn't meant to ask there were also events he wasn't allowed to witness.

The more he thought about it, the more certain he became that the realm he was in wasn't a manifestation of his desire.

He looked over at the woman. While he trapped in his thoughts, she had begun talking on the phone. "I'll be there Kankuro don't worry. I'm over Shikamaru's so I'm not too far away." She hung up.

Temari sighed. "I have to go."

"You're meeting Kankuro at the airport?" He asked.

She nodded. "It's only for a little bit. I'll be right back to take care of you."

"You don't have to do that." Shikamaru rolled over away from her. If she focused more on work, he could focus more on sleeping. "Where are you going anyway?"

"We're just holding a random meeting somewhere. Gaara does need his secretary you know."

"I know that. I'm asking where the meeting is being held."

"I told you it's just some random location."

"You're the one that schedules the meetings. You'd obviously know where they were being held." Why was she being so difficult?

"Why do you even need to know?"

"We're having a meeting soon. I'm wondering if I'll run into you someplace."

"You don't have to worry about that. It's only for a few hours." Temari assured him. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

Shikamaru remained silent. Temari liked traveling to places she hadn't been in a while. Where would that be? It had to be some place it took possibly one or two hours to get to by plane. It also had to be a place where she was nervous about going. He didn't know of any place the brave Temari would be afraid of visiting. At least, that was what he believed.

"Why are you going to Kumo?"

"How did you-

"So I was right." He sighed. His mouth was moving on his own.

"I know what you're thinking. It's okay now." Temari said laughing.

"How can you even say that while you're still shaking?" He hissed. Quickly he sat up again something he immediately regretted. He rested his head on the wall.

"I'm shaking because I'm so laughing for hard. You should see your face."

He remained silent.

"Shika-baby. I'll be okay really. Don't worry so much." He watched as she departed. It wasn't until she left that he was allowed to speak by his own word.

"You know. I think you're sourer than you are sweet."


	15. Chapter 14: Desert Flower

I didn't mean to make it seem that way. Chapter 13 was written with sour and sweet being the link between the ocean and to other characters' traits. Please review

Say you love him 

**Chapter 14**

It was a bad memory.

It lacked warmth. Akin to the weather of Konoha, it left me lonely and frigid. I sighed deeply. My body was still, fully dressed in fuzzy purple pajamas. Back slouched, I watched the television with little interest.

Without a doubt, they remained victorious.

That was the main thing that occupied my mind.

We just wandered around feebly. Truly, we were ineffective. The more I went deeper into their plans, the more lost I became. I still hadn't come up with a good theory for why we were in Konoha. If my intuition was correct (and it usually was), my father had an ulterior motive for sending us away. The quest for monopolization would easily justify it. On the other hand, no matter what the cost, my father had always refused to let his little stooges run amok.

Maya wasn't a good supervisor. If he wanted supervision, he would have sent Baki instead. Maya didn't consider us siblings the main interest. Baki did.

Baki taught me how to pick a lock. At first, it was to keep me from locking myself out of the house. Later it became a tool for infiltration. Baki was never present during those times. Dad usually just sent me. It would always be during the day. Sunny, cloudless, and seemingly tranquil were the days I would go. No one would expect me. One second I would be talking cheerily to the secretary the next I would be digging through some files.

Before I could get myself into a risky situation, Baki would always be there. I couldn't really count on Maya to bail me out of a jam. She'd probably talk my ear off, but she wouldn't aid me in any way.

No matter what other memories I traced, I couldn't come up with a reason.

I was sure that the reason wouldn't soothe my mind.

My eyes flickered back to the television screen.

One hundred channels and there still wasn't anything to watch.

"Life in Konoha is so dull," I groaned.

That was when I heard the phone. At first, I thought it was the television, but it had an unmistakable jingle to it. The sound was custom made, the product of poor conductorship. None of the notes fit together and it made an awful buzzing noise. I stretched over to the table and picked it up. "Hello?"

There wasn't an answer.

"Hello?" I tried again. "Who is this?"

There was a hacking sound in the background. Coarse yet tiresome the voice came and went. At least, I believed it was a voice. The person seemed to have trouble speaking. "Hello?" There wasn't a shred of sympathy in my voice. Didn't they know time was money? With each attempt, the voice seemed to become less audible. "Speak louder." I urged them. They obliged, but only to a degree. I tried to grasp bits of what they were saying. The words were foreign.

At first, I believed it to be another dialect, but as the voice became stronger, I was able to detect some English. I scrunched my face as I tried to make sense of it.

Kumo?

Sour?

Salesmen?

I blinked. "What the heck are you saying?"

I wasn't given an answer. The person on the other end was in their own little world rambling on about sales, sugar, and water. I tried to piece some things to together. Just then, the TV show went to commercial. I stared at it. There was an extra zoom-in on mountain peaks.

My brain started working.

Kumo had an awesome resort that Maya had always dreamt of going to. She had at least one hundred pamphlets.

Without a care, I pressed the 'end' button.

My time was precious. There wasn't any room for telemarketers especially any, in anyway, associated with Maya. Not in all the twelve years I knew Maya did she get under my skin as she did in the present. I had always envisioned an eventful life in Suna. It was to be a life where I remained the center and where it wasn't sin to bask solely in my ego. In Suna I would coexist, but I could do so joyfully if it was there.

A few moments later, my mind went blank. I went into a dreamless sleep.

**Yamanaka Residence seven thirty am**

Up. Down. Go all around. Up. Down. Go all around.

_Swish. Swish. _

_Gurgle. Gurgle._

Up. Down. Go all around.

"Ino!"

The girl tried to prevent the mouthwash from trickling down her throat. "Ino!" After regaining her composure, she went to the bathroom doorway. "Whup!"

"Could you bring those Sunflowers for me?" She heard her mother answer.

Ino spat the mouthwash in the sink. All the germs and pink foam went down the drain. "Okay!" She wiped her mouth off with the back of her hand. Ino looked in the mirror and knew she looked good. Before giving herself a thumb up, she examined herself. Nice and tidy. Her hair was in the usually style. The bang was curlier and glistened a tad. It was probably due to that skin moisturizer. It made her beam.

She wore a green denim jacket. A lollipop swirl was left to the school's insignia on the front of her skit. Underneath the jacket was a blouse. The skirt she wore was a masterpiece. At least, she believed it was. It could rival Sakura's hot pink princess mini-skirt. It was a bit shorter and she had to wear shorts underneath. Otherwise, her mother would lecture her on the importance of modesty and all that other crap that only old women worried about.

"They are so going to faint when they see me!" Ino laughed in the mirror. "I look drop-dead gorgeous!"

"Ino!"

"Okay!" Ino screamed back as she picked up the box near the stairway. If she remembered correctly, the sunflowers she carried were the ones at the farmland a mile away. She brushed their petals. They were really strong. They were also heavy. She nearly stumbled as her foot landed on another box's edge. Just as she moved to steady herself, she accidentally bumped into a rack of lilies. She pressed against the wall the keep the rack from falling.

She sighed. She kept her back pressed and slowly knelt down until it she was ground level. She put the sunflowers down then moved to hang the rack back up.

Things weren't as glamorous at their house as she allowed her bazillion friends to believe.

Truthfully, the walls weren't made of gold, the windows didn't glisten, and an aroma of cinnamon didn't awake her every morning. The only smell she awoke to was the dying flowers piled up on her windowsill. Upstairs and downstairs were flower territories. Boxed roses were on the staircase.

Daises were piled on the counters. Hybrids were scattered about near the dozens of eyedroppers and gloves.

The roses and daises were strong but the hybrids were not so lucky, they lacked proper nourishment.

"Ino," her mother called again.

"I'm coming!" She picked up the box again and ran the rest of way. As she neared the bottom of the staircase, she saw her mother working diligently.

Ino sat the box on the floor near the sink. She opened a cabinet and got out a few bagels out. She smeared strawberry jam on one and cream cheese on the other. There wasn't room for a toaster so she ate the bagels lukewarm. It was springtime that meant a much higher demand for flowers. Konoha without flowers was like a sandwich without anything inside of it.

"That took you long enough." Her mother sighed.

"Sorry." Ino laughed as she bit down on her bagel.

She stood near the kitchen door. Outside was their backyard that led straight to the route Ino took to school. "Oh, I almost forget." Ino raised her brow. "Forgot what?"

"Could you bring Shikamaru his homework? He still has that nasty cold."

Ino was on her second bagel. "Shikamaru's out again? That's strange."

"It seems Shikamaru's cold has gotten better though. Yoshino called me all worried. Apparently Shikamaru had talked back to her on his last day of school."

Ino blinked. "Why would Shikamaru do such a thing?"

"I know, right? Shikamaru is usually such a good mannered child." She examined the sunflowers. "He really wanted to go to school that day for some reason. Yoshino said she kept telling him he couldn't, but he just walked out."

When Ino remained quiet, the woman continued her gossip. "She is worrying that he is going to fall into the same pattern he did when he was younger. She is so worried about his grades. They are slipping. Shikamaru has always done well in his studies."

"Maybe it's just a bad year." Ino defended her friend.

"You don't know anything do you Ino?" The woman asked quizzically.

"Nope," Ino said, "I rarely see those guys anymore. We're so busy we never see one another. I heard Shikamaru started a new club."

"Oh really? What's the club?"

"It's sooooo boring. It's the Geography Club."

"That sounds so educational."

"That's the problem." Ino said sticking out her tongue.

She felt her phone vibrate.

It was he! No, not that boring Shikamaru, it was her sweetheart-her love dumpling. He was also her forbidden love. She squealed when she thought about it. Her mother eyed her curiously. Ino quickly texted back. _OMG I love you so much. I will __**so **__be there. Hail, nor sleet, nor sn-_

"Ino don't forget that you have to give Shikamaru his homework after school."

The teenager's eyes widened. "Mom that's not fair! It's like a whole mile from there to Shikamaru's house!"

"He's your friend, isn't he?"

Ino thought about it. As much as she cared for Shikamaru and Chouji, she hadn't really talked to them much lately. She probably hadn't had a decent conversation with them since back when they were prepping for high school.

"Mom! I have cheer practice." She lied. "It'll take a whole hour to get from there to Shikamaru's."

"You usually end practice around five anyway, right?"

No, it was actually four fifteen, but her mother didn't need to know that.

"Besides, Shikamaru has all F classes. His homework will weigh a ton!"

He doesn't even do his homework! She mentally screamed.

"Shikamaru and Chouji were always there for you when you needed them. Remember when you were sick and they went to give you your homework?" her mother's tone was scolding. "To think I raised such an ungrateful child."

Ino sighed, defeated. She texted an apology to her boyfriend.

"There's a red slip near the coffee pot. You'll be able to get out of school and come back for your school activities." Ino read the slip. "Mom this says the time I'm leaving is two thirty." The woman didn't answer. Ino smiled.

Ino grabbed her schoolbag and kissed her mother on the cheek. "See ya!"

"Bye Ino!"

"Crap I forgot to do my English homework!"

"What?" The woman asked.

"Nothing, bye!" Ino said as she closed the door.

Ino groaned again and began thinking. Who was good at English? Well there were a number of people, Suck-e-ra being one of them. She didn't want to ask her rival for help!

Kiba was in her class, but she was pretty sure he was failing. Ino sighed. Very few lived so far up; the only Konoha students were she, Kiba, Chouji, and Shikamaru. Shikamaru was out sick and she couldn't possibly ask Chouji. She already felt bad for asking him before.

That didn't help her at all. She groaned. She had that very sad-excuse of a report that sunk her grade to a borderline D. She had crumbled it up just a little, spelled her name wrong in English just a little, and she had gotten a D. How was she supposed to know that it was I-N-O instead of E-N-O?

**M. Household seven forty-five**

"Dang it Kankuro, get the heck out the bathroom!" Temari yelled.

"Shut up Temari!" Kankuro yelled on the other end. She balled her fists. What is taking that brat so long? She thought. Her right eye began twitching. "Get out now!"

"Shut up! I'm trying to do my makeup!" There was a small pause.

"You're not allowed to do your whole face! Hurry up!" Temari cried.

"Just shaddup!"

"Open the door or I'll break it down." She banged on the door. Unbeknownst to her, her actions had attracted the youngest sibling's interest. "Stop banging on the freakin' door!"

Without warning, Kankuro flung the door open. She glared at him. Slowly, against her will, those green orbs softened. The harsh glow became tedious and her hands slowly fell to her sides. An illusion suddenly captivated her.

"Tem, are you okay?"

"_Temari, you love me right?"_

"Yes, of course."

"_Everything I do, I do because I love you."_

"Of course," She said smiling.

"_You're a princess, Temari."_

"Why aren't you looking at me?" His body was so close. It wasn't an illusion at all.

"Don't come any closer," She hissed. She put her hand inches from her face. Her fingers were stretched out to claw him in case he went any closer. "Just go back inside the bathroom. That ugly mug of yours is blinding me."

Kankuro grumbled something incoherent then went back into the bathroom. Gaara stared at the eldest sibling, his eyes were unwavering as he stepped a bit closer. Temari jumped when she saw him. She turned her head again. A familiar flash went off.

"Why?" She asked. "Why are you taking pictures of me?" Temari tried to hide her sour expression. The boy was wearing nothing but a pajamas top and slippers. She offered a smile, but Gaara didn't succumb to the pretense. Instead, he left as quickly as he came, digital camera in hand. If she hadn't known any better, she would've thought he was being shy. In more interesting she became to him, the more she questioned her stability.

After she washed and dressed, it was about eight nineteen. She went downstairs to find breakfast was ready on the table. "Good morning," Maya chirped. Gaara flinched at the woman's voice and went upstairs to get ready. Kankuro was pouring ketchup on his omelet.

When Temari woke up, the first thing she saw was Maya ordering breakfast. She sat down and ate. "Why are you ignoring me?" She sipped her orange juice. Maya looked at the siblings with amusement in her eyes. "How do the two of you expect to be in a club together if you can't even get along?"

"We'll deal," Temari hissed.

"So feisty." Maya laughed. "Just like someone else I know."

Temari looked over at her.

"You know he called today. It was right after I ordered breakfast."

"You're lying." Kankuro said as he took another bite of his meal.

"How did you know?"

"Dad's not a morning person."

That was true. "How would you know that?" Temari and Maya asked in union.

Maya and Temari were the only ones that knew that. Kankuro was far too young to remember the days when their father would longue around in bed all morning instead of bobbing his head at the computer. Temari knew the best that their father wasn't a morning person. When she was about four, she decided she wanted to wake 'daddy' up and jumped all over him. Worst mistake ever made in history.

Maya had once bumped into him in the hall and nearly lost her job in the process. If only she really had, Temari thought. "It's just like they say: father like son. Isn't that right, Temari?" Kankuro smirked. It wasn't the usual bratty one.

"I'm bored so I'll give you guys a ride."

"No thanks." Temari said. "I'd rather walk."

That look was really getting on her nerves.

"Wait Tem, I'll go with you." Kankuro said. She looked at him. Didn't he understand that she wanted to be alone?

Gaara came down clad in his uniform. It didn't really suit him.

Her gaze shifted over toward Kankuro and his pleading eyes. "Well I guess Kankuro and I will be leaving."

"Wait no!" The woman said. "It doesn't make much sense to drive only one person. I'll drive all three of you. That or all three of you can walk."

She'd rather be in the car than to that.

Temari sighed. "Come on Kankuro. I don't feel like walking anymore."

The four of them got into the car.

She was just one of the marionettes in the set.

**Yamanaka, Ino. East Hallway. Ten am**

"So what's our new routine?"

Ino smiled, "I was thinking about trying the sundae turn-off."

"Sundae turn-off? That sounds great! Who's going to be the cherry?"

"I bet it'll be Usagi."

"How did you know?" Ino asked.

"Well she is the lightest one. Plus she does this unbelievable high jump!"

"It's better than mine?" Ino pouted.

"You're the best with splits and you're also the only one who can bend all the way back to the ground."

"I get shivers when I think about it."

"Miyako, what did you do in English?" Ino asked finally remembering that she had to finish her homework.

"We just did a lot of worksheets."

"Did she collect the homework?"

"Well yeah. She did it like she always does."

Ino shivered. The English teacher always marked their papers as she collected them. As she did so, announced every wrong or right answer. It was humiliating!

"Pretty much everyone bombed it. It was super hard, wasn't it Ino?"

She hadn't even looked at the paper, but she agreed nonetheless.

"There was this one girl who got a B though."

"Really who?"

"I think it was the new girl."

"Do you mean Temari?" Ino asked.

"Temari? I think that was her name."

Ino's eyes lighted up.

**Temari. West Hallway. Ten am**

"Hey Temari!" She felt a hand on her shoulder. "What is it Kiba?" She asked politely. She jerked away from him. Kiba grinned at her. "I heard you joined Shikamaru's lame club."

"I wouldn't say that it's lame." Temari said swinging her arms back and forth.

"It's a club about Geography. What's so fun about a club you actually have to learn in?"

Temari chuckled. "I think it's interesting."

"I think it's more interesting that Shikamaru actually started a club. He always mumbled about how he hated dealing with the student council and everything."

Temari raised a brow.

"Not that I don't get him. I mean the Uchiha always looks like he has a stick up his-

"What are you going on about dog boy?" Sasuke said glaring at him.

"He speaks!" Temari and Kiba said in union.

"Idiots."

Temari glared at the Uchiha's back. "His hair really does look like a duck's behind."

Kiba laughed earning another glare from Sasuke.

Uchiha Sasuke, the prodigy. Where had she heard that name before? It seemed Maya took interest in him, but why? Was he a piece of the puzzle?

"Bye guys!" Temari looked over at the girl. She had left her cheer buddies and was actually going to class. She was looking as flamboyant as ever. "Sasuke!" She saw the boy cringe at her recognition.

Ino was just about to greet him further when Karin latched onto Sasuke's arm. Ino stopped mid-step.

"Aren't you going to chase after him?" Temari asked.

"Nope. It's better to look than touch anyway." The blonde said crossing her arms. She grinned.

Temari sweatdropped. So Sasuke was just eye-candy.

"Temari I have a favor to ask you!"

She turned the girl's way. "What is it?"

"Can you help me with my English homework?"

"Uh…."

"Don't bother Ino!" Kiba exclaimed. "That person is no help whatsoever. I mean she didn't help me at all. She was supposed to help me set up that English-fruit game, but she left to get all buddy-buddy with Shikamaru!"

"All you had to do was say 'grape'." Ino said.

"Huh?"

"That's what I did. G for grape. R for raspberry. A for apple. P for pineapple. E for eggplant. Grape."

"Eggplants are fruit?" Kiba asked.

"Apparently. So what'd you get on that project anyway."

"I got a B-!" Kiba announced proudly. "I wrote a letter to Akamaru with Shino's help!"

"You wrote a letter to your dog?" Ino asked with revulsion written all over her face.

They were gaining unwanted attention. Temari simply went around them. In Konoha High, a student had precisely five minutes to get to class due to its massive size. As a result, classes began immediately and very seldom were teachers tardy. With exception of one teacher that slugged behind her, all teachers were always prepared for their lessons.

Kakashi read his book. Temari found his interest in the material uncanny. The book was thick and it had a strange leather covering. Temari doubted he had the mindset of an intellectual with his cheeks burning red. The seventeen year old looked away and carried on to class. There were so many weird characters in Konoha. All of them wore their personalities on their sleeves.

Even the cold-masked Uchiha was easy to see through. Up ahead, she watched as the boy rudely pushed Karin away. The girl smiled not hurt in the least. No matter how many times he threw her away, she'd come right back. By Temari's side was a diluted Sakura. Temari didn't know much about the girl, but it was obvious that she was jealous. It wasn't as evident as the zeal she exhibited in the lunchroom, but it was still there.

"Haruno-chan?" Temari asked. She didn't want to see the kid so sad. Sakura looked her way and smiled.

She was really a sweet kid. She wished upperclassman existed in Konoha High. "Just cheer up." She tried her best to stay in character. She even scratched her head to add to it.

Temari didn't get to the girl's expression, but did see Ino's. Temari sighed when she entered the Science room.

Ino stuck her tongue out at the Karin then sat down. Temari followed.

"You look more like a guy when you grin like that."

Temari twitched. "What?"

"If you were trying to look cute, you failed epically."

"I wasn't trying anything." _I so want to choke her._

"It's expected. I mean you don't have any style." Ino said ignoring her as she copied down what was on the board. _Rephrase that. I __**am **__going to choke her. _

"You don't have to help me with my homework anymore. I can do it myself. Instead, I'll give you some fashion tips." She said grinning.

Temari blinked then smiled playfully. "No thanks." She finally understood. That was how Ino offered her thanks.

It was unusual.

It was interesting. Temari frowned.

"I'm trying to do you a favor." Ino whispered harshly. "It's a shame seeing such a face go to waste."

"It's a shame seeing a cheerleader get such bad grades."

Ino flinched.

"Let me see your English homework." Temari whispered.

Ino looked at her and smiled warmly.

**Doss' Corner**

This chapter made me feel warm inside.

Although it wasn't funny, I liked writing Temari's part. By the end of the chapter, I became so engrossed I had to stop myself from writing Is everywhere. I felt like I actually was Temari. That hasn't happened for a while. I'm reviewing the other chapters and I feel like I can really write a good Temari POV next time.

I like Ino's character. For a long time I couldn't stand the characters Ino and Sakura, but overtime (as I matured) I began to love them. Every character as their quirks and I love playing with theirs. I haven't played with Sakura's too much, but don't worry I will.

I missed playing with the guys too so they'll be in the next chapter. It'll be after I show Ino's plot relevance of course.

I think it's about time I injected Shikamaru with a sweet dose of 'plot device', don't you? We can't have him wasting away in bed.

I'm sorry that this chapter took a while. I think it's one of the longest for the story so far.

I hope you liked it.

Thank you for reading.

Please review!


	16. Chapter 15: Betrayal causes constipation

It's been awhile and I had fun writing this. I really flaunted my vocabulary in this chapter.

**Chapter 15 **

It took the boy an hour to register the emotion.

A sting, fast as lightning, came into his chest then moved downward. Fervent and inclement; an irremovable ache sat on the intestine. It intensified and became like ice, successfully robbing him of sleep. The feeling roared in the abdomen and belied the passive mask worn.

He couldn't quite describe it. It was painful indeed, but it was contradictable. It was like…like a cold blaze.

He doubted he'd ever recover from it. Instead, he predicted it would persist. It was a pain he could not shake off.

He drank his mother's concoction without wincing. His eyes were hard yet passionate.

Never had he felt so _betrayed_.

_**M. Temari 12:14pm **_

She strolled down the desolate hallways. The girl had missed the first ten minutes of lunch. The student council managed to capture the willful teenager. Never had she witnessed such strategic brutality by her peers.

It was all that Ino's fault!

Earlier that day, Temari had refused to come to student council. Her excuse being that she had a project to complete. Apparently, the lie was clear. In retaliation, they made a ruse of their own. They sent the dutiful and kind Sakura as bait. The girl met her in the hallway just as she was about to come to lunch. Sakura claimed that she needed help on an English project.

It was a well-known fact that to be qualified for a position such as Sakura's one needed an A average. While Temari had suspicions, she never guessed that she'd be brought to the student council office instead. They giggled and supplied her with an overload of paperwork to fill in by tomorrow. In addition, they overdosed her with verbal instruction. For the sake of her disguise, she was forced to put up with their tyranny.

At that moment, with a tender smile on her face, Temari plotted revenge.

Ino and Shikamaru were going to pay.

According to Sakura, Ino had told her about her miraculous B in English. That led to the brainy girl's corny excuse.

However, what riled her the most was that Shikamaru hadn't completed his duties as club president. Prior to his sick leave, the boy had finished only _half _of the required documents.

Temari fumed.

The seventeen year old had confronted the sleazy, cold-hearted, margarita and toast addicted, Maya! That meant she had indirectly confronted her father. She brought out a long sigh.

Only when she neared the lunchroom doors did she feel how hungry she was. When she opened them, she found the cafeteria as lively as ever. For some odd reason, Temari felt disturbed. It was just the usual rowdiness at least by what she saw.

"Look Temari's alive," Tenten laughed, "The student council didn't bite you that much, huh?"

Temari chuckled softly, "No, not too much." Word travels fast.

"Wow that bag looks heavy!" The girl exclaimed. She looked mildly impressed.

"It _is. _I think there are about fifty pages of documents." Temari said with a sulky tone.

"That's all for the geography club?" Tenten asked. Temari nodded. "You're really dedicated, huh?" She said sheepishly. Temari just shrugged, "I suppose so."

Temari observed the girl. Tenten had a rather lax feeling to her. She was passionate, but had the ability to be refined. At times, she could be loud and sometimes a tad violent. However, there was nothing flamboyant about the girl. She wore solid colors. There weren't ever stripes or polka dots on her uniform. It was plain and simple. The only thing that stood out was her hairstyle. The girl always had those chestnut tresses in two buns-one on each side of her head.

"Where is everyone?" Temari asked.

"Lee is doing some extra laps for Gai and Neji's just being Neji." Tenten sighed, "Everyone else is here though. I mean everyone except Shikamaru."

Temari glanced at the lunch lines. Both of them were super long. She groaned. She'd just have to wait.

"Yeah, you'd think that a school like ours would have a vending machine."

"Why don't they?" Temari asked.

Tenten shrugged, "All I know is that those lunch ladies get paid a lot."

"It'd be really cheap of them not to," Temari said.

"Speaking of which, what are you guys going to do for the fundraiser?"

The seventeen year old blinked. "What fundraiser?"

Tenten deadpanned. When she came back out from the shock, she sighed heavily. "You mean to tell me you guys have no idea what you're doing? That's irresponsible."

Whom was she calling irresponsible? Tenten jumped when the table moved. "Don't do that Naruto! You scared me half to dead!"

"Sorry about that," Naruto said laughing.

"Hey Naruto, do you know about the fundraiser?" Tenten asked.

"Of course I do! I heard it's going to be amazing!" His face lit up.

Tenten sighed, "You didn't forget you were participating did you?"

"Uh…no," he lied. The two girls shook their heads.

"I'm sure Temari and Shikamaru can handle it though!"

"Hate to break it to you, but Temari doesn't have a clue."Naruto turned to Temari in disbelief. With her nod, it was confirmed.

"So that means Shikamaru has all the business plans!" Naruto cried out. "I'm afraid so," Tenten replied.

"We're doomed, dattebayo!"

"Why are you doomed?" Kiba asked as he sat down beside Naruto.

Naruto's face was red. He was too embarrassed to say it aloud. He whispered in Kiba's ear. Kiba laughed, "You poor saps!"

"It's not funny!" Naruto yelled.

Kiba smirked in amusement. "It looks like my club is going to get some big bucks this year. Turns out I was all worried for nothin'!"

Temari looked over at Tenten for an explanation. "Big clubs like basketball and culinary club are always getting the most money." They were just in their early stages. Why would such a top-ranked club consider them a threat?

"What are the fundraisers like anyway?" Temari asked. By the time she asked, everyone was present.

Kiba picked up his juice. "In this school, each club is like a miniature business. We get a small loan from the school, then we have to pay it back, and then we have to earn our own money too. The clubs that don't get enough money eventually shut down." With each word, he became more boastful. They'd probably need a whole stadium to hold his ego.

"So how are the fundraisers managed?" Temari asked egging them on. Her words were rich in curiosity. Although she obtained what she presumed was the majority information, she thought that hearing it from the students would be more effective.

"They're huge. It's like a big flea market!" Naruto said with enthusiasm.

"Sometimes it's so huge we have to relocate everything," Kiba added, "That's what happened last time."

"That's not what I meant. How do they get their income?" Temari asked.

"I'm not so sure," Kiba said scratching his head, "How do the big bad student council get their big bucks, Uchiha?"

Temari didn't miss the grimace on the boy's handsome features. "From the festivals," he answered simply. Kiba snorted, "I figured. They basically robbed everyone of their money last year."

"I t-thought it was f-fun," Hinata said blushing, dreaminess in her eyes.

"You would, you're a Hyuuga after all," Shino said.

"It was really extravagant." The girl continued admiringly.

Kiba rolled his eyes, "You mean flashy. Naruto lost a lot of money in that ramen stand the culinary club had."

Temari laughed when she saw Naruto's expression. His face paled at the memory. The boy display of emotion entertained her. Each emotion was so drawn out that it seemed fictitious. It was like watching a cartoon. There was no doubt he was a colorful character. Unlike those around him, he chose to wear a unique pattern. Every day, he wore the same attire. His tangerine jacket's sleeves had one black strip running down them. The shirt too was one of a kind. It was a black button up shirt. It had a unique design as well. Near his collar, an orange swirl could be seen. His pants were like his jacket. No matter what anyone said, he still strived to be conflicting.

Perhaps his personality prohibited her from finding him tolerable. At first, she believed that her distaste for her environment caused it. However, after a few months, she came to realize that Naruto's loud behavior unsettled her. His boisterousness would undoubtedly cause trouble in the future.

"Don't worry Temari; I'm sure Shikamaru has everything taken care of." Apparently, the girl mistook the blank look for concern. Temari shifted her eyes.

"I wonder if he's had any time to think about it," Kiba said, "He looked awful." 

"How's Shikamaru doing anyway Chouji?" Naruto asked.

Chouji stuffed numerous packages in his schoolbag.

"What are you doing?" Tenten asked. "I'm taking food to Shikamaru," Chouji answered factually.

"It's not like his parents are starving him," Kiba laughed, "That bag is huge man. I hope you don't get stopped by security."

"Shikamaru's mom gets weird when he's sick," the boy mumbled, "She's probably making some really horrible stuff right now."

"You sure it's all that horrible? You've always been picky with your food." The boy said flashing his canine teeth.

Chouji narrowed his eyes further. They were sharp and seemed to dig deep into Kiba. "Remember when Sakura made us all lunch?" All the boys shivered. It surprised Temari to see Naruto looking repulsed as well. Usually the boy bragged about the pink haired girl's skills as though they were his own.

"Why would his mom do that to him?" Kiba cried.

"Health over flavor," Temari suggested.

The guys shot daggers her way. "Don't you know that the key to a man's heart is through his stomach?" Naruto inquired.

Wasn't he fond of her regardless? Temari feigned nervousness. In her household, if you became ill, you were considered a liability. Begrudgingly, adults would give her the bitterest medicine hoping to speed up the process. As far as she knew, most parents did it in Suna. Suna was mostly desert. Brush did grow naturally on the outskirts. In the very middle of the city, a park situated. Foreign plants blossomed there, so she heard. Aside from that area, Suna remained a pretty harsh place to live in. The hot climate wasn't good for someone ill.

That was why people migrated to places nearby Suna. Although they weren't as famous as Suna, Kumo, Konoha, Kiri, etcetera, they still had their good things about them too. On the ride to Konoha, she remembered it being temperate-not too dry, but not really wet either. She supposed that areas with less extreme climates didn't have to worry so much in this season.

"Would you rather eat some bad food and heal quicker or sit in bed all day feeling awful eating pie?" Tenten asked.

"Easy, I'd choose the pie!" Kiba laughed.

"You guys are unbelievable." Tenten huffed.

"No you're unbelievable! The only reason you're saying that is 'cause you probably can't cook anyway!" Naruto yelled.

He hit the nail on the head with that one.

Tenten quickly changed the subject, "Hey why don't you just give the paperwork over to Chouji? He's going to Shikamaru's anyway." Temari had almost forgotten the two were friends, "No it's okay. A sick person shouldn't have to do so much work."

"Well you can't fill those out alone. You don't even know what he's planning to do," Kiba said.

He was right.

"Why don't you give Tem, Shikamaru's number Chouji?" Naruto asked.

Temari bit her tongue. Chouji stared her down. It was almost the same look he gave Kiba, but more keen. He regarded her suspiciously. Had Shikamaru told him something? Temari sighed cursing Naruto. Truthfully, she didn't want to call him. The last thing she needed was some idiot rekindling her harsh emotions.

Temari waved her hands in front of her. "It's okay. It's better if Shikamaru's rests. It just means we'll have to procrastinate to get it done."

"The deadlines tomorrow," Tenten said sighing, "If you don't get it done by then you guys can't participate in the fundraiser."

Just perfect.

"Besides, aren't you a little worried?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, I guess." Temari said sighing. She was worried, but not in the way a friend would worry.

Someone tossed her a paper. It had a phone number written on it. "Thanks," Temari said smiling.

She couldn't hear the response, for the bell had interrupted them.

Temari traced the raggedy piece of paper. In the right hand corner blue ink situated. She squinted to make out the words. It read '_Don't take too long'. _What did that mean?

The girl cursed further when her stomach growled. Quickly, she gathered her things and made way out the door.

**Nara Shikamaru, 12:45pm**

"It's seems your fever is gone," Yoshino stated as she pressed her palm on his forehead. "That's really strange. You were burning up just a few hours ago." A puzzled look appeared on her face. It seemed she hadn't expected such a fast recovery. His mother always overestimated. He guessed it was her way of remaining one-step ahead.

"That medicine really did wonders on you, Shikamaru," the woman said smiling. "You'll be able to go to school tomorrow. I'm sure your club members will be happy to see you." Giddily, the woman took his cup and left.

The boy sat there in the darkness. He put his hands over his face and exhaled deeply. "What a drag," he groaned. Slowly, he put the pieces together. Along the line, he came to that same old debate.

Maybe he had been unreasonable; maybe they were implications of what was to be.

On the other hand, maybe his intelligence had somehow taken him to the peak of insanity. Either way, completely denying those dreams would mean to degrade all his efforts.

Shikamaru _had _preformed research on dream Temari; he had also preformed research on the present Temari. He had done the former a few months prior to M. Temari's appearance. However, when he recently looked them up on the internet, neither could be found. The first research took place when he had just started falling deeper in his dreams. Sometimes, he lost touch with reality. He used that as his excuse for not looking deeper.

He organized the club not to test Temari, but to test his dreams. He wanted to know their faults. However, he came to the conclusion that they weren't as faulty as he first believed. It could've been that Temari had _lied. _Unconsciously, he had given them the benefit of a doubt. That led to his downfall.

Dream Temari liked pineapple juice while the actual Temari liked pineapple soda. Dream Temari was three years his senior, that meant that the real Temari would've been seventeen. Temari had a dad that was a president of a large company in Suna. This Temari claimed to only have a mom. Furthermore, she was _living_ with her. He had always assumed that the woman had passed away. Why did she feel the need to disguise herself?

What was Temari's motive for lying?

What happened in Kumo?

Just how significant was it?

He hissed slightly and touched his chest. There was that pain again.

**Yamanaka Ino, 2:11pm**

She was finally able to skip out on her last class! There were only two classes she liked, creative writing and history. History became fun because they did reenactments of certain events. Also, the tests were really easy. Some swore she'd be a model when she grew up, but the girl had no intention of ever perusing a career in fashion. Instead, she devoted herself to script writing. Literary arts were her forte.

Shikamaru and Sakura would become lawyers, surgeons, heck even CEOs. She, on the other hand, would become the heart of the theater! They could keep their stethoscopes, indictments, and fancy graphs.

So what if she wasn't a math a whiz? She'd do just fine. If Shikamaru felt up to it, she could have him help her with her homework! The walk was a long one, but she finally made it.

Ino rang the doorbell and put on her best smile.

"Oh, Ino!" The woman said smiling. She gave the woman a bear hug.

"It's so nice seeing you," Yoshino said, "Are you here to give Shikamaru his homework?"

"Yeah," Ino said as she left the embrace, "But how are you doing?"

"I'm doing well enough," The woman said as she stepped aside to left Ino in. Ino looked around. The home was just as spotless as she remembered.

"Your house is so nice," Ino complimented.

"Oh thank you, I try my best," Yoshino said, "Would you like something to drink?"

"No I'm fine. I need to go back to school for cheerleading." Ino said, "Is Shikamaru doing okay?"

"Yes, he's fine. His fever just went down."Ino sighed in relief, "That's good."

"Why don't you go up there? I'm sure he'll be happy to see you," Yoshino said. "Oh...okay," Ino said smiling. She was already halfway there. Unlike hers, the stairs didn't have vines twisting everywhere. Soil couldn't be smelled in the corridors. While not as spacey, it appealed to her senses. When she came upstairs, she immediately saw Shikamaru's room. The door was plain, nothing extraordinary. Her bedroom door had a classy sign that said 'Do not disturb' in pretty red letters. She neared the door and pressed her ear to it out of precaution.

If she disturbed his sleep, she'd feel horrible.

She pressed her cheek closer. There was a low murmuring. Her ears perked.

"_Temari"_

Ino blinked. Temari? Wasn't that a girl's name? When did Shikamaru begin to fancy the opposite sex? The boy had this absurd theory about woman. He believed them to be aggressive and overemotional creatures.

The imaginary gears started moving. Immediately, the girl flushed from the conclusion. Perhaps Shikamaru…towards Temari…

Suddenly, she felt something in her pocket shake. She fingered the fabric and quickly remembered her cell phone was on 'vibrate'. "Who's there?"

Ino's heart skipped a beat. She quickly fiddled with the buttons. The darn thing just wouldn't quit it! Might as well answer it, she sighed.

"What is it?" Ino asked.

"It's _me_," a low voice replied. Ino beamed, "Darling! How are you?"

"I'm doing okay. I just called because I finished working and I was wondered if you'd catch a movie with me."

So he skipped school again. "I'd love to. Is three fifteen okay?"

"Perfect. You're not going with the squad today?" He asked concerned. She blushed. "Oh, they can practice without me."

"Well, I'll see you then."

"Yeah see you!"

She had a date! And it was with a hunk no less! She jumped up and down in triumph. No one could take that happiness, not even that killjoy Shikamaru! When she turned around, she came face to face with said Nara.

"I knew it was you," He said sighing.

Ino puffed up her cheeks, "What do you mean by you knew it was me? You don't sound happy to see me."

"Stop with the cutesy act." He had his arms folded. There was a very defensive aura around him. Did he know she had been eavesdropping?

"Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" Ino asked. The boy shook his head in annoyance. He did that a lot lately. "Sorry, I'm just tired."

"You look like it," Ino said handing him a vanilla folder, "its worksheets-tons of them."

The boy looked a tad dreary. It wasn't his usual 'sloth' drear either; it looked like he just got off a monstrous roller coaster ride after eating a sundae. Basically, he looked sick…perhaps constipated. She supposed that it'd be a pretty bad time to ask for tutoring.

He took the folder and thanked her. She couldn't tell if he was sincere or not. "It's been a while since I was last here," Ino said jokingly.

"Yeah it has." Shikamaru said in-between yawns. "When _was_ the last time I was here?" Ino reflected. "Nearly five months," Shikamaru replied, "When you came by you asked if I could help you with your math homework." Ino sweatdropped.

"That's not why you're here is it?" Shikamaru asked accusingly. "No, of course not! You've already got a lot of homework on your hands," She said nervously, "Besides you probably got a lot going on right now…..I've got to go."

Shikamaru watched her lazily as she trotted down the steps.

She felt so foolish. How could she, the love expert, not notice? There had always been an attraction between the two! But wasn't he going a little too fast? Perhaps it was 'love at first sight'. Ino giggled. Shikamaru was growing up so fast. Yoshino looked at her weirdly, "Ino is there someone wrong?"

"Oh nothing," Ino said. She gave the woman a pitying look. Yoshino was completely left in the dark. She sighed and gave a reassuring smile. "He'll be just fine!"

**A/N:**

Shikamaru's constipated. LOL. That was a joke my friend made when she read the first part.

Next time, we'll dwell more into Shikamaru's thoughts and plans. A very interesting phone conversation waits!


End file.
